Only Hope
by marehami
Summary: When Mabel receives a heartbreaking diagnosis for an even more heartbreaking reason the Pines Family must come together again to face the unknown as a family. Set in the Adoption AU I created with Keleficent! We are working together to remaster this story, and hopefully, make it better! This story is dedicated to the memory of Keleficent's grandmother Freya.
1. Soldier On

It was meant to be the best day ever. It was spring break in Gravity Falls. Most of the teenagers spent their spring break away from the tiny town that was cut off from the rest of the world, but Dipper and Mabel were more than content to spend their spring break with their beloved adoptive fathers.

They had been planning for this day since the end of summer. The four of them had spent months prepping the family boat, planning the ideal fishing spots, and looking up tasty fish recipes. It was more than just a fishing trip to them; it was a celebration. Six months ago, Dipper and Mabel had undergone a major operation. Dipper had suffered from kidney failure and Mabel selflessly gave him hers. They had to spend months bedridden with nothing to do. Stan and Ford promised them they would make up for the boring summer over Spring Break. They would go out and have a happy memory as a healthy family of four.

But sometimes, even the best-laid plans can be flipped in the blink of an eye.

Mabel woke up with a throbbing pain in her side. "Great…today of all days…" she grumbled.

She looked over at her twin brother still sleeping soundly, but she knew he wouldn't be for long. The first rays of morning light were peering in. She knew her family wanted to get an early start on their fishing day.

She decided then and there she wouldn't let her family know. She knew that was a dumb idea. She knew that their operations had weakened her tiny bodies and she and Dipper were supposed to keep their fathers updated on how they were feeling.

But they had all been looking forward to this day for so long. She just wanted to give her family a happy memory. They deserved that much after all they've been through.

Soon her brother began to stir and open his eyes. Without a trace of grogginess, he shouted, "Woohoo! It's fishing day!" He threw back his covers to reveal he had actually slept in his fishing gear so that he could be ready.

This got a hearty laugh out of Mabel, but as she laughed her side throbbed in pain. She grabbed it and tried to quiet any moans of pain hoping Dipper wouldn't notice.

But of course, the overprotective Dipper was always looking after his sister, especially after the surgery. "You okay, Sis?"

Mabel forced a perky smile. "Of course I am, bro-bro! I just…um…slept on my grappling hook!" Mabel held up said grappling hook as if to prove her case.

"Ouch."

"Yeah…but it's not gonna stop me from catching more fish than you!"

"We'll see about that!" Dipper said playfully.

Mabel got dressed and headed downstairs with her brother.

"Do you think Stan and Ford will be up or will we have to-" Dipper started, until he and Mabel entered the kitchen and noticed their fathers sitting in absurd positions that were clearly meant to put on a show for the kids. Ford had a copy of War and Peace in his hand and was pretending to read all the way through it, while Stan pretended he was about to nod off from pure boredom.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up, Stanley!" Ford said glancing up from his book with a mischievous grin.

"I can't believe the two of you would leave us old men waiting for so long!" Stan said in a mock elderly voice.

The four of them shared a good laugh and after a quick breakfast of Stan-cakes, they were out the door.

Mabel was quiet on the ride to the lake. She normally filled family car rides (or anywhere actually) with her lively stories, jokes, and just overall jovial nature. It's true these past few years, she had been through an unbelievable amount of hardship, but through it all, Mabel never lost that wonderful personality that essentially made her Mabel. This made her silence especially concerning.

"Are you okay, pumpkin?" Stan asked.

"Mm-hm," Mabel mumbled as she rubbed her side.

"Is your side hurting sweetie?" Ford asked, noticing her discomfort.

"No, I'm fine! It's just…uh…those tacos Grunkle Stan made last night aren't sitting well with my tummy."

"Stan's tacos never sit right with anyone," Dipper teased.

The four of them shared a small laugh as they tried to let their worries melt away.

Mabel could tell that her family was worried about her. She was actually quite distressed herself; she hadn't felt such a strong pain since waking up after the surgery. She longed to tell Ford so he could use his brilliant mind to diagnose her, but she didn't want to risk ruining this day for her family. She thought she could just soldier through this fishing trip and ask Ford to look her over tonight.

When they got to the lake, she did everything she could to show her family that she was fine: she laughed at Stan's corny jokes, made a playful bet with Dipper about who could catch more fish, and listened to Ford's fishing stories about dimensions where the fish were over 12 feet tall. Just a for a moment, the world was at peace.

That peace soon ended as clouds of uncertainty and fear shrouded over them. Mabel stood up to walk toward the front of the boat when the throbbing pain in her side transformed from annoying to so agonizing that it made her lose consciousness. The last thing she remembered was collapsing into a pair of six-fingered arms.


	2. Just Wanted To Be a Kid Again

The next thing she became aware of was the beep of a heart monitor. She remembered the sound from her time in the hospital. She felt a hand running through her hair, also a familiar sensation. It was large and had five fingers, so while she could deduce she had collapsed into Ford's arms, it was Stan performing the soothing gesture.

She didn't want to open her eyes to face whatever this was. She wanted to keep her eyes closed and remain in blissful ignorance for a little longer, but it wasn't fair to keep her family in suspense. She opened her eyes and spotted three familiar and loving faces staring down at her.

"Hey there, sweetie," Stan said softly.

"I'm sorry…I ruined everything," Mabel whimpered.

"Nonsense, dear, you just aren't feeling well," Ford assured. "Don't you worry, the doctors here are going to fix you up good as new."

"Everything's going to be alright, Sis," Dipper added.

Mabel smiled. She really did have the best family in the world.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you my side hurt."

"Why didn't you tell us, baby?" Stan asked.

"I didn't think it was too bad. I guess I was wrong," Mabel said, ashamed.

"Mabel, sweetheart, you have to let Stan and me know these things," said Ford.

Mabel glanced down at the specialty fishing sweater she had made for the occasion. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to get out and have fun with you guys. I wanted to be a kid again."

The poor girl wasn't asking for much, just some freedom back. She had given up a lot of that when she gave up her kidney. There were so many things she couldn't do now because her body was so delicate now. It was because of that delicateness that she was now back in the hospital.

"I'm sorry, pumpkin, I know this is no fun for you," said Stan.

"Just promise us you'll let us know these things in the future," said Ford.

Mabel gave a sheepish smile. "I promise."

The doctor walked in with an unreadable expression on his face. "Mr. Pines, Dr. Pines, why don't you take a seat?"

Stan and Ford looked at each other nervously before sitting down.

"How was her and Dipper's most recent transplant checkup?" the doctor started.

"It was fine, but it was months ago. In fact, it's almost time to schedule another one," Ford answered.

"And, Mabel, your family said the soreness just started today?" the doctor asked.

"Yes."

"I don't know what all these questions have to do with anything!" Stan interrupted. "She's been in hospitals more than enough already! Just tell us what's wrong so we can take her home to take care of her!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that Mr. Pines." The doctor took a deep breath before he spoke a sentence that seemed to suck all the air out of the room, "Mabel has a tumor where her kidney used to be."


	3. Diagnosis

Mabel didn't cry. She didn't scream or curse at the sky. She didn't even really look that shocked or upset. At first, the doctor thought she didn't understand what was going on, but even if she didn't, the rest of her family certainly did.

"Take her kidney out of me! Give it back to her and make her better!" Dipper knew deep down this wasn't possible, but he was too hysterical to think straight.

Stan and Ford attempted to comfort Dipper, but the boy jerked away from them. Right now, he wanted nothing to do with the men who did nothing to stop his sister from making the decision that led to her cruel fate.

"HOW COULD SHE HAVE A TUMOR? THE OPERATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE! THEY SAID IT WOULD BE SAFE!" Dipper screamed. Furious that Mabel's reward for her selfless deed was only more pain and suffering.

"As with any medical procedure, there are always risks," the doctor said, trying to calm the boy down.

"IT'S NOT FAIR! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OVER! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Dipper screamed.

"Dipper…" came a little voice from behind him.

Dipper turned around to face his sister remembering that she was the victim of all of this. She calmly put her hand on his shoulder. Dipper figured if his sister could remain calm, then he owed it to her to try to be calm as well.

The doctor continued, "We need to start you on chemotherapy as soon as possible to attempt to shrink the tumor around your kidney before we operate to remove it."

Stan felt like he could vomit. Ford put a six-fingered hand on his brother's shoulder.

"When will I get to go home?" The poor child asked as the gravity of the situation began to sink in. She, nonetheless, tried to remain strong.

The doctor looked at her sympathetically. "Well, the bad news is if we are going to beat this thing, we will need to attack it pretty aggressively for the next several weeks. But the good news is we should be able to have you cancer free and fully recovered by the end of summer."

"And then we will throw you the biggest party in the whole world," Dipper whispered, trying to be a protective brother despite feeling like he had been the one who endangered Mabel in the first place. Even though his mind was currently filled with clouds and a raging storm, he knew his sister enough to know that he had to look on the positive side for her.

Mabel gave a small nod as if accepting her terribly unfair fate, until she thought of something else, or rather someone else. "What about Waddles?"

"Waddles?" the doctor asked confused.

"Her pet pig," Ford explained.

"Don't you worry about Waddles, honey, we're gonna take good care of him," Stan assured. "All you gotta do is focus on getting better."

"You won't leave me, right?" Mabel pleaded as she grabbed Stan's hand. She already knew the answer, but she wanted verbal confirmation that she won't face this horror alone.

"Never, baby. We're a team, and we're gonna smoke this thing together."

Mabel managed to smile to assure Stan that she would indeed fight.

"Alright, well first thing in the morning we will start you on chemotherapy. We will have to give you a pretty high dosage to attack that nasty mass. We have to make sure that we stop this thing before it reaches your remaining kidney," the doctor explained.

Mabel looked up at Ford. Trusting her father's scientific knowledge, her brown eyes were pleading for him to tell her she would be okay.

Ford wanted nothing more than to assure his frightened family, but he understood better than any of them gritty reality. He forced himself to swallow his heartbreak and fear to smile at his daughter.

"I'll have a nurse discharge you for the night so you can go home and pack your things." The doctor looked sadly at the distraught family. This part of his job was always the hardest. "Come back tomorrow and we'll get you checked in."

The four of them had the same horrid thought: what if she never checks out again?


	4. Coping

Upon returning to the shack, Mabel darted up to her bedroom followed by Dipper. Soos and Wendy were downstairs winding down from their shift none the wiser that anything was wrong.

Ford had expected (or hoped) that Stan would be the one who explained things to his employees. To Ford's dismay, Stan didn't say a word and instead, headed over to the vending machine and angrily pushed the combination and headed down where the lab used to be. When Ford made the decision to shut down the lab to spend more time with his family, Stan had put some punching bags and gym equipment down there (he had the intention of teaching his kids how to box to help them regain some strength they lost during the transplant). Ford figured his brother just needed a moment alone to vent.

"What's up with you guys?" Soos asked, noticing how forlorn the Pines family was.

It looked like Ford would have to be the one break the news. "Mabel's sick."

"Sick?" Wendy asked as she looked up from her magazine.

"Oh man, dude. She'll be okay though, right?" Soos asked.

Ford's eyes traveled down to his boots unable to look them in the eye. "She has cancer, a mass where…where her kidney used to be. They are starting her on chemotherapy first thing tomorrow."

Soos and Wendy stood there in disbelief for a long moment, neither one of them able to speak for several long moments.

"Hambone…cancer?" Soos said, as if unable to comprehend that such a healthy and energetic child could have such a curse.

"No way, man…" Wendy whispered in utter shock.

Soos collected himself and spoke first. "Wendy and I will be here every step of the way dude. We'll take care of things around here. You guys just focus on getting Mabel better."

"Yeah, man, leave it to me and Soos," said Wendy, the lazy teen inspired to work hard for the first time in her life.

Ford managed a half smile as he gave them a grateful nod, still unable to make proper words. He was about to speak when they all heard a frustrated yell coming from the basement.

Worried that Stan had hurt himself, Ford dismissed himself to check on his brother.

Soos and Wendy looked sadly at each other and then looked towards the bedroom of the kids they had come to love so much, unsure of what to do next.

—

The elevator opened for Ford to discover Stan ransacking all the equipment in the room. It had started out with just a few rounds on his punching bag. But it wasn't enough to hit something. He had to _destroy_ something…the same way he destroyed his daughter's body by making the stupid decision to let her donate.

He threw a pair of dumbbells across the room before his eyes caught Ford's and it snapped Stan back to some form of reality.

"I'm sorry, Sixer. I know I-I'm being bone-headed and violent, but..I just don't know what else to do. I…" Stan looked around at all the damage he had done. "I'm so sorry…you worked so hard on this place…and I wrecked it…I wrecked everything…"

Ford wasn't angry about the room; everything could be fixed or replaced. He wasn't angry with Stan; he was equally responsible for Mabel's wellbeing. Ford knew exactly what Stan was feeling and wanted to show Stan he wasn't suffering alone. Without a word, he walked to one of the punching bags and pounded it hard, so hard that it actually fell off the mount. But he just continued pummeling it into the ground.

The two didn't need to describe to each other the pain they were in. They communicated with their fist the anguish they were feeling inside. The two brothers embraced in tears amidst the physical and emotional wreckage.


	5. Want to Hurt

Dipper and Mabel were in the room they had shared since arriving to Gravity Falls two years ago. Sure, the room had gone through renovations and changes since transforming from their temporary living arrangement to their forever home, but the spirit of togetherness had remained. Tonight, however, the room that normally bellowed with their laughter was silent. What could be said at that point?

Mabel was quietly placing everything she loved and cherished, all the things that made her Mabel, into a bag that she would take into a hospital she may very well never check out of. There were no tears, just a quiet acceptance.

Dipper wanted to be there for her, he _had_ to be there for her, but he had no idea how. He couldn't watch her anymore. Without a word, he went to the restroom to grab the razor Stan recently bought him and went out to the roof.

The sky was a lovely lavender color as the sun was disappearing to make way for the brisk spring night. This day that had started with such beauty and promise transformed into one of the darkest night of Dipper's life. Dipper sat on the edge of the roof at the hang out spot Wendy had shown he and Mabel during their very first summer. It was still very much the same as it had been back then.

He fidgeted with the razor for a moment contemplating the choice he was about to make. He knew it wouldn't make Mabel better. He knew if she found out she would only be more upset. But right now, it didn't matter. Dipper wanted to hurt. He wanted to hurt himself like he hurt Mabel. He felt so helpless.

He lifted his shirt to reveal the scar from his surgery. With a shaking hand, he cut open his scar. It was such an odd sensation; even though it hurt, it also gave him a sense of satisfaction. It felt like it was a fitting punishment for what he had done to his sister.

Wendy was finishing her shift and heading out for the night when she heard Dipper's muffled cries and decided to investigate. She easily climbed one of the trees near the roof.

When she saw what Dipper was doing, she understandably flipped out. "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING, DIPPER?"

Dipper had been lost in his own thoughts, so he didn't even hear her come up. He was so startled that he ended up dropping the razor.

Wendy was furious, but she forced herself to calm down. Dipper was in a dark place right now. Yelling and freaking out would only make things worse. Not knowing where else to start, Wendy pulled him into a tight embrace.

Dipper said nothing. He pulled his hat over his face to try to hide the tears that were threatening to fall. Wendy didn't try to force him to talk at first. She wordlessly rubbed his back in an attempt to soothe him.

"This isn't fair," Dipper finally managed.

"I know it's not, man, but you're smart enough to know this isn't the way to make yourself feel better, right?" Wendy tore off a piece of fabric from her jacket and used it to cover the wound.

"It's because of me, Wendy! It's my fault! It's all my fault!"

"Shh, shh, shh…it's not your fault, Dipper. It's your fault. It's not your fault," Wendy repeated over and over again. "You just gotta be strong for her now."

"I'm tired of being strong, Wendy! I…I can't do this anymore! Sometimes I wonder if we're cursed! Why do all these bad things keep happening to Mabel? She's a just kid! _I'm_ just a kid! I can't help her! She saved my life and she could die because of it!" Dipper wailed as Wendy continued rubbing his back. He was grateful to at least have the chance to be vulnerable. He was hurting so much that it didn't even matter to him that he was breaking down in front of the girl of his dreams.

"I know, man, I know," Wendy soothed.

"What do you mean you know? How could you possibly know what I'm going through right now!?" Dipper didn't mean to snap at his friend, but every time something bad would happen to him or to Mabel they would be soothed with words like "I know" and it angered Dipper, because in his mind, no one else could possibly know how he was suffering.

"I know because my mom died of cancer."

"Oh." Dipper knew Wendy's mother was dead, but Wendy had never told him how she died. "I…I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Wendy said sadly. How could she encapsulate the suffering of watching her mother's health decay until she succumbed to her illness while still providing her friend hope that Mabel's outcome would be different? "It sucks."

"What do I do?" Dipper asked.

"Don't be afraid to let her know you're scared. If she sees her super brave bro is scared then she will know it's okay to be scared too."

Dipper stayed in Wendy's protective embrace for a moment longer before taking a deep breath and standing up.

"Thanks, Wendy…for everything,"

"I'm here for both of you guys no matter what. It's what family does," she said offering a smile.

Dipper managed a watery smile back. He took a deep breath to calm himself before turning back toward his room to help his sister pack, resolving himself to never leave her side.


	6. Checking In

The next morning, the family loaded up the car while preparing for their uncertain future the best they could. Stan and Ford created a schedule so that one of them was with Mabel at all times while the other would return home to look after Dipper and Waddles. Dipper was less than pleased about this plan. He didn't want to leave his sister's side throughout this whole nightmare, but he had to go to school and get proper sleep at night (his fathers would not allow their son to sleep in a cramped hospital room). They assured him they were a team and they would communicate everything with him. At Mabel's insistence, he reluctantly agreed to the plan.

Stan promoted Soos to provisional manager. It had always been Soos's dream to run the Mystery Shack, but it was a hallow victory since it came at the cost of his little dudette falling ill.

As Mabel was entering the car, she felt a tug on her skirt. She looked down to see Waddles holding her back. It was never easy to say goodbye to Waddles.

"Waddles…I have to go away for a little while. Don't you worry, I promise I'll gonna come back." Mabel felt like she was telling _herself_ she would come back as opposed to the pig. "Stan, Ford, and Dipper will take good care of you. Dipper even said you could sleep in his bed at night so you won't get lonely." She looked at her brother who crossed his heart to promise her he would take good care of her pet. It was the least that he could do.

Mabel hugged Waddles tightly and had to wipe a tear on his soft, fuzzy skin. She felt a six-fingered hand on her shoulder gently indicating that she needed to go.

"I love you, Waddles," she whispered as she gave Waddles a kiss and got into the car. Waddles chased it as it disappeared down the old dirt road. Soos had to catch him to keep the poor pig from following the car all the way to the hospital.

—

When they got there, Ford sat with Mabel and explained what would be happening and what to expect. He thought it would be better to hear it first from her father than a nurse. She simply sat there and nodded, amazing Ford with how calm she was. He knew the girl was tough, my gosh, she had to be tough, but even the bravest people show fear when faced with something so frightening. He hoped she understood the gravity of the situation.

"How soon will I lose my hair?" Mabel asked bluntly as she twiddled with her long, beautiful locks.

Ford's heart sank. The poor girl shouldn't have to ask something like that so matter of factly. It at least reassured him that she understood what was happening. "Typically a few weeks into treatment, but because we are treating it so aggressively, it may be sooner."

Mabel glanced down at her sunshine sweater, which she always wore when she needed extra sunshine, and forced a smile. "Good thing I can sew! I can make colorful knit hats! But don't you guys go cutting your hair in solidarity! I still want to be able to run my fingers through someone's hair!" Mabel said as she ruffled her daddy's hair.

"I'll grow my hair out like an 80's rockstar for you, pumpkin!"

"Maybe you can make it into a mohawk!"

"Anything for my little girl!" Ford said as he tickled her, getting a playful laugh from her. He had a feeling they would all need a lot of laughs to get through this. He was more than happy to be the playful dad as opposed to the aloof scientist, especially if it meant he got to see his daughter's beautiful smile.

—

After they got checked in, they were taken to Mabel's new hospital room. She immediately hung up her posters over the bland white walls. It didn't have the same "splinter-inducing" quality of her beloved shack, but she was determined to make it as much like home as she could.

Before long, the doctor came in to discuss the treatment plan in depth. She would be receiving three rounds of chemotherapy five days a week for the next four weeks to shrink the mass to a size safe to operate on.

Mabel looked at the faces of her beloved family. They already looked so drained and defeated just hearing what was ahead. Mabel wanted nothing more than to make them feel better, because if there was one thing Mabel hated more than feeling bad, it was seeing people she loved feeling bad. She cleared her throat getting their attention.

"Alright, guys! Now I know things seem bleak right now, but that's when we must rise above and face our challenges head on!" she said in an authoritative voice that mimicked all the old sports and war movies she had watched with Stan, making all three of them to smile in spite of it all.

"Now let's get in there and show cancer that it's no match for Pines!" she said as she lead the family in the epic Pines chant.

"PINES! PINES! PINES! PINES! PINES!"


	7. Chemo Compadre

Ford went with Mabel to her first treatment while Stan and Dipper stayed in her room to hang up the last of her posters and decorations.

"Don't you worry, pumpkin, by the time you get back, this place will look like…home," Stan's voice slightly cracked at the last word.

Mabel gave them a smile and thumbs up as Ford wheeled her away.

"You know I can just walk, Grunkle Ford, you don't have to wheel me everywhere."

Ford gave her a sad smile. The reality was, he knew enough about chemo to know by the time Mabel finished her treatment, she wouldn't be strong enough to walk. He forced himself not to think about that part. He decided to think like Mabel…think fun.

"Obviously, but why would you want to walk when you could ride?" he teased as he playfully pushed the chair faster, making her giggle. It was the most beautiful sound Ford could hear right now.

When they first entered the room, Mabel had to admit that the comfortable chairs and ample supply of flat-screen TVs made it look more like a relaxing area than a place where such toxic medication was pumped into people's bodies.

There was a fair amount of people receiving treatment. As Ford suspected, most of them were much older than Mabel. It reminded Ford of how unjust it was that this child had to fight such an adult battle.

There was one other patient in the room that looked about Mabel's age. Being the naturally friendly person that she was, Mabel picked an empty chair next to him, flashed her bright smile, and said, "Hi there! My name's Mabel, but you can call me your chemo compadre!"

The boy turned and looked at the girl, shocked by how friendly and upbeat she was. Typically, the new patients were filled with dread and didn't have much interest in making conversation, let alone being friends. "My name's Michael, but you can call me Mikey. All my friends do," he said as he shook the girl's hand.

Mabel fidgeted slightly looking around at all the neat controls and gadgets on the chair while the nurse prepped the medicine. Her eye suddenly caught something. "What's this?" she asked motioning towards a bucket type thing beside the chair.

"You'll see soon enough," Mikey said dejectedly.

"All right, Mabel here we go. 1, 2, 3," The nurse inserted an IV into Mabel's arm. The pinch stung a little bit, but that was nothing compared to the burning sensation. She quickly realized what the bucket was for as she vomited into it.

Ford could hardly bear to watch, but he had to comfort his child, so he rubbed soothing patterns on Mabel's back to try to assuage the discomfort. "It's okay, honey."

Mabel managed to catch her breath and whisper, "I'm so sorry."

"Trust me, Mabel, you're gonna want to save your energy instead of apologizing every time this stuff makes your body do something gross," Mikey said with a sympathetic smile.

"Mikey's right, sweetheart. The medicine is very strong, so your body is going to have a strong reaction to it, but if anything, that means it's working. Think of it like you're vomiting out the cancer," Ford said as he forced a smile.

Mabel smiled back and decided to take her mind off it by finding a new subject to discuss with her new friend. She noticed his shirt and suddenly had a topic.

"You like Z-Files too? Gosh, you're going to love my twin brother! He likes all that ner-" Mabel stopped herself from saying nerdy. She wouldn't want to insult her new friend. "He likes all that…neat stuff."

Mikey's eyes lit up now he had something to talk to his new friend about. "You have a twin brother? I have a twin brother too!"

Mabel squealed in delight, causing Mikey to cover his ears but he still smiled. "Look at all the twin power going on in here! My Grunkle Ford has a twin brother too! It runs in our family."

Mikey looked confused. "Grunkle?"

"Great-uncle," Ford and Mabel responded at the same time.

"He's my daddy too!" Mabel declared proudly.

"Oh…so you guys are one of… _those_ families," Mikey was from the city, so he had some pre-conceived stereotypes about these small-town folks.

Mabel laughed so loud she snorted. "No! No! He and my other Grunkle adopted me and my brother after our parents died."

Mikey gave her a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry about your parents, but it seems like you've got a great family now."

Mabel squeezed Ford's arm. "The best! So, what about your family? Let's hear more about them!"

"Twins don't run in our family. In fact, my mom and dad didn't even know they were having twins until we came along."

Mabel smiled remembering how Stan had told her the story of how her own mom and dad had allowed the twin thing to be a surprise to them as well.

"You know, you're gonna have to bring your twin brother in at some point so I know you aren't lying," Mabel said playfully.

Mikey laughed. "I'll bring him if you bring your twin brother and your other great uncle! I've never seen a set of old twins before!"

"Hey!" Ford said, playfully indignant.

Mikey giggled sheepishly. "Hehe. Sorry."

"They're identical, so you won't be able to tell them apart unless you look at the fingers," said Mabel.

Mikey looked confused until Ford showed him his six-fingered hands. "Wow! Freaky! I love it!"

At that time, Mikey's treatment came to an end. "Whelp, I've clocked in for the day. Hang in there, champ. I'll see you tomorrow," Mikey said to his new friend.

"See you tomorrow, Chemo Compadre!" Mabel said as she offered her fist for a fist bump.

She smiled as she lay back in her chair and allowed the medication to continue pushing through her body, while Ford gently massaged her hand with his six-fingers. She looked up at him with her eyes beginning to droop. "Is it normal to feel sleepy…while you fight this thing?"

Ford smiled and kissed her forehead. "Only for those who fight really, really hard," he whispered as he tucked a blanket around his sleeping fighter.


	8. What Happens After?

By the end of the day, Mabel was completely drained and not feeling well at all. Both Stan and Dipper were startled upon how she had seemingly deteriorated after just one day. Ford explained it was just her body getting used to the treatment, and she would respond better as the days went on. Nonetheless, Stan and Dipper looked like they were close to breaking down every time they looked at Mabel. The guilt behind their eyes hurt more than any amount of chemotherapy.

When visiting hours ended, Stan and Dipper were still hesitant as if they really couldn't believe they were about to leave half their family behind. Stan and Ford were outside in the hall speaking to the doctor while Dipper said goodnight to his sister.

"I'm so sorry, Mabel," Dipper choked out as tears filled his eyes.

"Sorry for what, bro-bro? It's not your fault you got sick, and I had to donate my kidney."

"You didn't _have_ to, Mabel. You _chose_ to," Dipper said, torn between being grateful and being angry at her decision.

"I know. And you know what? Even if I knew I would get sick, I would have still done it."

Dipper had no words. He simply gave her a watery smile and kissed her forehead.

"Eww! Brother germs!" Mabel joked.

Dipper managed a small chuckle as he forced himself to leave his sister for the night. "Goodnight, Mabel."

"Hey, Dipper!"

"Yeah, sis?"

"Please get some sleep tonight." Mabel knew her brother didn't sleep enough as it is. She guessed that he won't be getting much sleep while she was sick.

"I'll try." That was all Dipper could do: promise to try, because he couldn't promise he'll be able to sleep at night knowing his sister was fighting a deadly illness because of him.

Dipper reluctantly closed the door with a shaking hand. Ford placed a comforting hand on his back. Dipper pulled away from Ford's touch.

"Hey, kid!" Stan tossed Dipper the car key. "Go heat up the car, champ. I'll be right out. No driving off, you hear!" Stan said, trying to insert some humor wherever he could. Dipper couldn't even look at him as he took the keys and walked away. He still harbored a lot of anger at his fathers for allowing Mabel to donate in the first place.

"He hates us," Stan said sadly.

"No," Ford said. "He thinks he hates us…but he really hates himself right now."

"How do you know?"

Ford looked down sadly. "Because it's what I did to you."

Stan sighed and put a firm hand on Ford's shoulder. Ford placed his hand over Stan's.

Stan took a deep breath before he went inside Mabel's hospital room. In many ways, it looked like her room at home. The bland, white walls were unrecognizable under the assortment of colors. The walls were covered with posters and other things you would expect in fourteen-year-old girl's room. But the medical equipment like the IV and heart monitor shattered any illusion of this being a normal situation for a young girl.

"How you feeling, pumpkin?" Stan asked, lingering a few feet away from her bed.

Mabel hated seeing her family like this. It was almost like they were afraid of her, and it crushed her. The reality was she felt like a bus had hit her. She had never felt more tired and weak in her life. She was scared, she was very scared. If this was the first day of treatment, then she would be facing hell for the next few weeks. But she couldn't let her already scared uncle know that. "I'm fine, Grunkle Stan. How are you feeling?"

Stan could cry. Here this girl was in a hospital faced with an awful disease, and yet she was still concerned about him. He often thought that he didn't deserve to be a father at all, much less father to such amazing children. "I'm fine, sweetie. Ford's gonna take really good care of you tonight, and Dipper and I will be back first thing in the morning."

"Promise me you'll take care of Dipper and Waddles?"

"I promise," he whispered to try to keep from breaking down.

"And yourself too?"

Stan couldn't stop his eyes from misting. He couldn't believe he had someone who loved him enough to think about him when she was suffering so much.

He grabbed her hand and knelt down so he was looking her in the eyes. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"I know you do." As if Mabel could ever forget that after all he's done for her. "You know I love you too, right?"

All he could do was nod as he pushed down the lump in his throat. He kissed her forehead before reluctantly turning to leave for the night, leaving the poor child weak and scared.

Ford watched his brother leave. He wanted to badly to go after him and comfort him. But there was a sick little girl who needed him right now.

"How about a movie, sweetheart? We could watch the one about the singing high school boys," Ford offered, hoping to get the girl's mind off things.

But Mabel had too much on her mind right now. "Can I ask you a question, Grunkle Ford?"

"Of course, sweetheart."

"What happens when we die?" she asked bluntly.

Ford was stunned. He and Dipper may have been the "smart" twins, but Mabel had a way of asking questions that left the scientist stumped. "Well…I've documented the existence of ghosts, which leads me to believe there's some sort of afterlife, but…obviously, not everyone becomes a ghost, or the world would be overrun with them. There are several theories about the nature of ghost and the afterlife, such as alternate dimensions, or residual energy, or-"

"What do _you_ believe happens when we die?" Mabel was playing hardball with the scientist.

"Well…I think…death…is…eternal peace…I mean that's why the terminology is always rest in peace," That was the best answer Ford could come up with. If nothing else, death at least ends pain, even if it means the end of a person's existence.

"When I die, will I see my mommy and daddy again?"

Ford was scared to imagine his little girl dying, but he knew Mabel was just as, if not more, frightened by that possibility. He had to say whatever would put her mind at ease. "I'm sure you will, but that won't be for a very long time."

"I miss them so much."

"I know you do."

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "But I would miss my brother and my daddies if I had to go with them."

Ford held her tight. There was nothing else he could do at that moment.

She wiped her tears and took a few deep breathes in Ford's arms before being able to speak again. "Can I ask you another question?"

Ford didn't think he could bear much more of this but nodded anyway.

"Are Grunkle Stan and Dipper afraid of me?"

Ford's heart broke and he knew if Stan and Dipper were here their hearts would be breaking too. "No, sweetheart, Stan and Dipper are just afraid _for_ you."

"I just feel bad for them."

"I know, sweetheart. I think right now the best way we can help them is to help get you better." Ford made another desperate attempt to change the subject. "So, how about that movie?"

Actually, Grunkle Ford, I'm pretty tired. Could we just turn in for the night?" Mabel asked as her eyes fluttered.

"Of course, sweetheart. You get some rest." Ford pulled the blanket over his daughter, kissed her forehead, and stroked her hair to soothe her to sleep.

"You know, I'm really going to miss this feeling when I lose my hair," Mabel whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

"Then I guess I will just have to keep stroking until then," Ford whispered as he settled beside his little girl, content to stroke her hair for as long as he could.


	9. First Night

When Dipper and Stan returned home, Stan wanted desperately to talk to his son. He couldn't imagine the guilt the boy was unfairly putting himself through. Like with Ford and Mabel, mistakes had been made by Stan towards Dipper over the summer. He had been untrustworthy and closed off towards the boy for no reason other than his own fears. He just didn't want Dipper to end up like him, closed off towards his problems and feelings. Stan knew better than anyone the consequences.

"So…umm…Ghost Harassers is on tonight. You want to-"

"I'm going to feed Waddles and go to bed. I promised Mabel I would try to get some sleep, and I'm not going to let her down…again."

Stan was silent for a long moment, unsure of what to say. By the time he gathered his nerve to at least say goodnight to his son, Dipper was heading upstairs with Waddles in tow.

When they reached the room, the pig looked around. He knew his mommy was hiding up here, playing one of her old pranks, waiting to jump out and give the pig an emergency hug.

When he couldn't find her he headed over to her bed to see if he could sniff out some clues.

Dipper noticed this and picked Waddles up off the bed and carrying him to his bed. "You'll be sleeping here for a while, Waddles," Dipper said plainly, not wanting to explain Mabel's whereabouts knowing it would upset him more to say what happened to her.

Waddles wasn't listening to the boy and instantly rushed back over to Mabel's bed.

"Waddles…she's gone," Dipper whispered as his voice began to waver. He picked him up and tried to put him in bed with him again, but it yielded the same results.

"Okay, fine, we'll sleep here if it will make you feel better," Dipper relented. He hoped it might make him feel better to sleep in his sister's bed too but didn't want to say it out loud.

He crawled into her bed and buried his face in her pillow. He took in her scent; she often smells of flowers and strawberries. It soothed him to remember her via his senses. Before long he was drifting off.

" _Ready for this, bro-bro?"_

" _Ready as I'll ever be."_

 _Dipper and Mabel were preparing to be wheeled back for the transplant surgery. For some reason, they hadn't been given anesthesia yet as they were wheeled past the double doors to the OR. When the doors opened, a bright white light engulfed Dipper and Mabel._

 _The next moment, they were no longer in hospital gowns. They were in swimsuits and on a beautiful sandy beach. It reminded Dipper of the beach that was near their home back in California. Every Christmas Eve, their parents would take the kids to have a picnic on the beach. Mabel and her dad would build sandcastles fit for real kings and queens, while he and his mother searched for unique objects on the beach. It was always a place of bliss for both Dipper and Mabel._

 _He and Mabel looked into the distance and saw two silhouettes. At first, Dipper couldn't believe his eyes, but Mabel didn't think twice before running towards them._

" _MOMMY! DADDY!" Mabel screamed._

 _The two figures embraced Mabel tightly._

 _It must be them. Dipper didn't know how, but his parents were back. Logic didn't matter; he just wanted them to hold him again._

 _When he got closer, he noticed that while they were holding and kissing Mabel, they were simultaneously scowling at him._

" _Mom? Dad?" Dipper asked confused and scared as to why his parents weren't happy to see him like they were Mabel._

" _We asked you to take care of your sister," His mother said, her face contorted in a contemptuous glare, so unlike how gentle and kind she was in life._

" _I…I did…"_

" _Look what you let happen to her," His father said without the playful glint in his eye he had passed down to Mabel._

" _Where were you when Brad tried to rape her?" His mother asked._

" _I…I didn't know…"_

" _How could you leave her in a burning house?" His father asked._

" _I didn't want to! Ford made me-"_

" _You took her kidney," His mother said._

" _I…I…"_

" _You gave her cancer," His father said coldly._

" _You were supposed to look after her."_

" _I-I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I tried," Dipper whispered as tears built up in his eyes. At that moment, Dipper wanted his adoptive daddies._

 _His parents took Mabel by the hands and the three of them walked away from Dipper. "Wait! Mom? Dad? Where are you going?"_

 _His father looked at him with an emotionless expression. "Because you couldn't protect her…"_

" _We have to take her now," His mother finished._

 _That's when it hit Dipper. This was heaven. Though to him, it might as well be hell. His parents were saying that Mabel was dead, and it was all his fault._

 _His mom, dad, and Mabel got further and further away. For some reason, Dipper couldn't go after them. He couldn't do anything but scream. "NO! NO! DON'T LEAVE! DON'T TAKE HER! MOM! DAD! PLEASE! I NEED HER! MABEL! MABEL!"_

Dipper awoke with a start. He was sweating and breathing hard. Waddles was curled up beside him. He stroked the pig to try to ground himself.

He was almost calmed down, but not quite. He grabbed the covers of Mabel's bed and pulled them over his face. It almost felt the same as being in sweater town, just somewhere he could hide from reality for just a bit.

Unbeknownst to him, Stan was peeking into the room and noticed a large lump under his daughter's sheets. For just a moment, Stan was shocked and confused enough to believe this whole nightmare wasn't real, that Mabel was home where she belonged. He went towards her bed and whispered, "Mabel?"

Dipper peaked out from under the covers, bringing Stan crashing back down to bitter reality. "Oh…sorry for waking you, kid. I…I thought you might be…"

"Mabel?" Dipper asked bitterly. Stan could only nod.

"Well, she's not here! She has cancer where her kidney _used_ to be."

"Dipper…"

"Why did you let her do that?" Dipper asked as tears filled his eyes.

"Because she wanted too, and…and I couldn't lose you, son."

"But now we could lose _her_ ," Dipper said as his lip quivered.

"We can't think like that Dipper." Stan knew he was being hypocritical for telling Dipper that considering the thought hadn't left Stan's own mind since the diagnosis.

"I wish I could just give her kidney back to her."

"You know she wouldn't take it even if she could." Stan tried once more to reach out to Dipper, but once again, the boy pulled away. Stan got an idea to make the kid feel better. "Hey, why don't we just give Ford a quick call?"

"You think he's still awake?"

"Kid, I don't think that guy ever sleeps." Stan can't imagine that Ford, who barely slept to begin with, was getting any sleep with everything going on.

When Stan dialed the number it only had to ring once.

" _Stanley, everything's fine, but now is not a good time to talk,"_ Ford said quickly and quietly. He clearly wanted Stan to hang up.

It didn't take long for Stan to hear why.

On the other end of the line, Stan heard his baby girl crying. "Is that Mabel? Why is she crying?"

"Mabel's crying?" Dipper asked, concerned.

" _Stanley, please, let me explain later-"_

"No! Stanford, tell me what's wrong with my daughter!"

"Stanley, I'm sorry I have to go."

"Ford, don't you dare-"

Before Stan could finish his warning, Ford hung up.

"Grunkle Stan? What's wrong with Mabel?"

Stan didn't answer him right away as he tried to call Ford back. He didn't pick up. "Dammit!" Stan put away his phone and addressed Dipper. "Get dressed. We're going to the hospital."

Dipper didn't need to be told twice. After putting on his clothes, grabbed Waddles not caring that the pig wasn't allowed in the hospital. His sister was sad, and he knew seeing Waddles would make her feel better.

They reached the hospital in record time thanks to Stan's driving. He walked into the lobby like a man on a mission.

A receptionist quickly stopped him. "I'm sorry, sir, but visiting hours are over."

"I don't give a crap about visiting hours! Something's wrong with my daughter! I'm her daddy, and she needs me!"

"Sir, only one family member is allowed back there at a time."

"Yeah, except said family member won't tell me what the hell is going on!" After making sure his daughter was alright, Stan was going to give Ford hell for this.

"Not to mention, our hospital has a strict no pet policy," she said pointing to the pig in the boy's arms.

That's when Stan snapped and screamed in the woman's face. "SCREW THAT! MY BABY GIRL IS HURTING AND I'M GOING BACK THERE NOW!"

The receptionist called security. The guards blocked Stan's path. Stan was willing to beat down every last one of them if they intended to keep him from his daughter.

As much as Dipper wanted to see his sister, he knew Stan attacking the hospital staff would lead to Stan being sent to jail and/or banned from visiting the hospital. He didn't know how Mabel would cope if Stan couldn't see her.

Dipper had to stop him. He yelled the first thing that came to his mind: "DAD!"

Hearing his son call him dad snapped Stan back to reality. He knew that he had to be there for his son, and he realized that if he continued making a scene he would only be hurting his daughter.

He backed up and raised his hands in defeat. "I-I'm so sorry…I'm just afraid for her."

The receptionist managed to smile as she dismissed the guards.

"I promise we will take care of her. You'll be able to see her tomorrow…minus the pig of course."

Stan bowed his head in contention and walked out with his son. When they got to the car, they couldn't bring themselves to get in.

"You don't want to leave her either, huh?" Stan asked. Dipper shook his head. "Up for sleeping in the car tonight?"

So, father, son, and pig curled up in the back seat of the car. Stan took off his jacket and wrapped it around Dipper. Dipper leaned his head against Stan and closed his eyes.

Stan knew Dipper was mad at him; the boy had made that perfectly clear to both him and Ford. Despite his anger, Dipper was still there for him and Ford. It was another reminder of how much stronger their son was than both of them. When things got bad, Stan and Ford allowed their family to fall apart. Dipper was still here trying to keep them together.

"I'm proud of you, kid. You know that?" Stan whispered.

Dipper said nothing but couldn't hold back a small smile.


	10. Accident

By some grace of God, Ford was able to find enough peace to fall asleep in the chair next to Mabel. But like many other peaceful moments in his life, it was short-lived.

He woke up to a cry of pain from Mabel. He was horrified to see his daughter not safe in her bed, but on the floor in pain. "Mabel!"

She recoiled back, as if apprehensive to his touch. Ford wanted to be frustrated, but reminded himself how much Mabel was going through. Anyone who had been through what she had today would be apprehensive.

Ford kneeled beside his daughter, who was curled into herself crying. "Mabel, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Mabel couldn't talk. She just kept crying. Ford tried to look over her, but she slapped his hand away. Ford was dumbfounded. He didn't know what was wrong with Mabel and it worried him. "I'll call a nurse, honey."

"NO!"

Ford was confused. Mabel was coherent, so why was she so resistant? "Mabel, tell me what's wrong."

Mabel still wouldn't answer. Ford was getting really scared now, and his fear manifested into a mixture of other emotions. "Mabel, if you don't tell me what's wrong, I'm calling a nurse," he said more harshly than he intended.

When Mabel whimpered in fear, Ford forced himself to soften.

"Sweetie, everyone here just wants to help you. The best way we can do that is for you to tell us what's wrong. Please honey, help me help you."

With great reluctance, Mabel allowed Ford to inspect her, hanging her head in shame. She had some bruises on her arms from falling off the bed. It wasn't a high fall, but people undergoing treatment for cancer bruise far more easily. The bruises weren't what were making her cry.

There was a damp patch in between her legs.

Ford put a hand on her shoulder. "Mabel, honey, it's alright. The nurse told us this might happen, remember?"

Mabel bit her lip and nodded. The nurse did indeed list loss of bladder control as a common symptom of chemotherapy. But knowing that didn't erase the shame of wetting herself. That's why she tried to sneak into the bathroom without waking Ford. But her weak body couldn't carry her there, and she ended up falling over. "But I feel like such a baby," she whimpered.

Ford cupped her face. "Mabel Pines, you listen to me. You are not a baby. You're _my_ baby. You're the strongest, bravest, best human being I have ever or will ever know. This journey we are on is the toughest journey anyone could ever take, and you are taking it on with more grace and strength then I ever could. I'm nowhere near as strong as you, but I'm going to be here through all of this. You don't have to be embarrassed or ashamed. You mentor me in strength and character daily. If cancer thinks it can break you, it's got another thing coming."

Mabel gave a sad smile as Ford wiped the tears from her eyes. Once she had calmed down, he called a nurse.

Ford set Mabel on his lap as the nurse changed the sheets. Ford didn't care about his lap getting wet; he just wanted to be near his daughter.

"I'm really sorry," Mabel told the nurse as she worked.

"It's not your fault, honey." the kind nurse said. "I do this all the time. I'm used to it. I think it's time you start wearing diapers. Then, you'll at the very least be able to sleep in a warm, dry bed every night."

Mabel was trying to be brave like Ford thought she was, but the idea of wearing a diaper sickened her. She already knew that she was going to lose her hair and didn't look forward to that at all, but she had accepted it. Now, she was being told she had to wear a diaper. This disease was going to take her from a blossoming and beautiful fourteen-year-old girl to a bald, diaper-wearing child.

"Please…there must be another way…any other way!" She pleaded as tears filled her eyes.

The nurse looked sympathetically at the girl. She had worked in the cancer ward for years and knew far too well how much it hurt her patients to have to lose their dignity. "I'm afraid it's the most sanitary option."

Mabel was about to break down when Ford thought of something that might make her feel a little better.

"It's really nothing to be ashamed of Mabel. Most people in this hospital are wearing them. Besides, Stan and I are old men, so it won't be long before you and Dipper will have to change our diapers."

Mabel couldn't help but give a small laugh. "I guess now I'll owe you."

"You don't owe me anything, baby. Being your father is a gift."

"Even now?" she said, thinking about her urine soaking Ford's lap right now.

Ford smiled. "Always."

Mabel wept even harder. "I hate this stupid disease."

There was nothing Ford could say. He simply held her tight and rubbed her back. The best thing he could do now was there for his little girl.

At the worst possible moment, his cell phone rang. He looked and saw the caller I.D. said Stanley. He thought about letting it ring, but Stan might assume something bad happened if Ford didn't answer.

"Stanley, everything's, fine but now's not a good time," Ford explained.

"Please don't tell Grunkle Stan, please…" Mabel pleaded through her tears.

It was a tall order but he wrapped his pinky and extra finger around Mabel's as a pinky promise.

" _Is that Mabel? Why is she crying?"_

"Stanley, please, let me explain later-"

" _No! Stanford, tell me what's wrong with my daughter!"_

"Stanley, I'm sorry I have to go."

" _Ford, don't you dare-"_

Ford hung up. The phone immediately rang again. Ford knew he would have a lot to answer for in the morning, but right now, he had to help Mabel.

"Shh…shh…I know this is hard baby…I know…" Ford continued rubbing her back and holding her near him. He suddenly remembered something he had read in a journal about childhood cancer he had absorbed the night of her diagnosis. "I have an idea! You and I both hate cancer, so let's name it after something else we hate! Then instead of fighting cancer, you can fight whatever we name it!"

Mabel looked up at him confused.

"Now let's see…we could name it after a sports team, or a vegetable, or…oh! What about that jerk unicorn?"

"Celestabelleabethabelle?" Mabel would never forget the wicked unicorn's name.

"Hmm…perhaps it's a bit too long a name…"

Mabel got an idea. "What about Bill?"

It was perfect. Bill Cipher was practically the living embodiment of cancer as far as Ford was concerned. "That's perfect! You beat Bill before and you'll do it again!"

Mabel smiled as she took his hand. " _We_ beat him before."

Ford smiled back at her and kissed her forehead, "And we'll beat him again."

Once the nurse was finished changing the sheets, she left and came back with a box of diapers. Mabel requested she be at least be allowed to put it on herself in privacy. Ford and the nurse helped her to the bathroom.

While Mabel was in the bathroom, the nurse revealed she had brought a new pair of pants for Ford, as his were soaked with Mabel's urine.

He smiled and took the pants. "Thank you."

The nurse smiled back. "You're a good father, you know."

Ford was shocked for a moment. He often felt like a failure as a father. To hear someone call him a good father meant the world to him. "Thank you so much."

Mabel knocked on the door to indicate she was done. Ford picked her up and laid her in bed. He laid down right next to her. He wanted to hold her tonight.

The nurse smiled at the sweet sight. Another nurse entered the room to relieve her from her shift.

"Fair warning: there was a maniac who came in tonight and caused quite a stir."

Ford didn't need to be a genius to know whom they were referring to. He smiled fondly and shook his head. "Stanley…"

He couldn't fault his brother though. He was a bonehead, but he was a bonehead who loved his family.

Ford only hoped he could be as big of a bonehead too.


	11. Here for you

The next morning, Stan, Dipper, and Waddles woke up and headed straight into the hospital. They were stiff and tired after sleeping in the car, but they had to be with Mabel again. When they walked in, they were yet again stopped.

"C'mon, we waited all night! It's visiting hours and you can't keep me from my daughter anymore!" Stan didn't want to make a scene again, but his already short fuse was wearing down.

"I can't keep you, sir, but I can keep him!" the receptionist pointed to the pig.

"C'mon, he's her best friend in the world, and he's a really well-behaved pig!" Dipper said.

"Only service animals are permitted in the hospital."

Dipper huffed in anger, but Stan leveled with him. "Why don't you give Soos a call and have him pick the pig up? We can talk about this later tonight, but right now your sister needs us with her."

Dipper conceded and went outside to wait for Soos with the promise that he would join Stan as soon as he could.

When Stan entered the room, he found Ford awake and stroking the hair of their still sleeping daughter. Stan crossed his arms and glared at his brother. "Well, I'm waiting, Sixer. What the hell happened last night?" Stan asked in a harsh whisper. He wanted Ford to understand how angry he was without waking their child.

Ford didn't want to break his promise to Mabel, but Stan was her father too. He had a right to know. "She wet herself last night. A side effect of the chemo, remember? When you called, the nurse was changing her sheets and Mabel was upset. I had to comfort her."

Stan nodded sadly. He couldn't help but be slightly hurt that she would want to keep this from him but understood why Mabel wouldn't want to broadcast it. "So, did they give her some medicine or anything to help her? Is she gonna have to go through it every night?"

Ford looked sadly at Mabel. "She'll need to wear diapers while she's fighting this. It's the most sanitary option."

Stan's heart broke for his daughter. He couldn't imagine the humiliation she felt over something she had no control over.

Mabel suddenly began to stir. Stan kissed her forehead. He decided not to mention the diaper, so she wouldn't be embarrassed. "Morning, sleepy head."

Ford was grateful didn't reveal that he had told Stan about last night. He needed Mabel to trust him through this process and breaking a pinky promise wouldn't be the best way to do that.

"Hey, Grunkle Stan," Mabel said smiling. It had only been one night, but she had missed Stan and her brother. Speaking of which… "Where's Dipper?"

"He tried to sneak Waddles in here to see you, but that dumb receptionist wouldn't let him in. The pig, not your brother," Stan said with a playful wink. "He's just out-front waiting for Soos to pick him up, then he'll come in to see you. And hey, tonight you can show me how to use that fancy Skype thing, so you can see Waddles. The poor pig misses you."

Mabel nodded sadly, heartbroken that she was now trapped in a place where she had to be separated from her favorite thing in the world.

"So, how are you feeling this morning, pumpkin?" Stan asked, trying to change the subject.

"I'm okay," Mabel said sheepishly. The truth was that she still felt awful thinking about last night. But then, she remembered what she and Ford discussed. "I decided to name the cancer!"

"Name it?" Stan raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah! I gave it a stupid name, so it could be more fun to fight it!"

"Oh?" Stan said smiling at his daughter's endless optimism.

"I named it Bill!"

Bill…that name instantly sent Stan into a spiral of painful memories. Bill had terrorized his beloved family. It was exactly what that cancer was doing, so it fits perfectly.

It still hurt Stan to remember though.

"Grunkle Stan…? Daddy?" Mabel asked, afraid of seeing her father temporarily zone out.

Hearing his daughter call him Daddy snapped Stan out of his trance. "It's a perfect name, baby," Stan said kissing her nose.

"Mabel, sweetheart, it's time for your treatment. Are you ready?" Ford asked gently.

"I want to wait for Dipper! I promised Mikey I would introduce him to my twin!"

As if on cue Dipper entered the room. The two kids embraced tightly, thrilled to be together again.

"You up for joining us in chemo today, bro-bro? I made a new friend I want you to meet! He's a dork just like you!"

Dipper was hesitant. He was terrified to see the toll chemo would take on his sister's body, but he knew he had to be brave for her. "Alright, sis. Lead the way."

When they arrived in the room, Stan had to admit that it was kind of inviting, but it was also unsettling seeing all these people who looked so sick and knowing his daughter was one of them. He didn't have time to dwell on it as Mabel lead them over to where Mikey was reading a magazine.

"Hey, you came back! Most people try to scale the walls and escape after the first treatment," Mikey joked.

Mabel laughed. "Cancer will have to do better than that to scare me away!" she said as she nonchalantly sat in the chair and prepared for the needle. She wanted to distract herself while the needle went in, as she had discovered yesterday the initial prick and the first few minutes were the worst part.

"Mikey, this is my Grunkle Stan! See he looks just like my Grunkle Ford, except he has five fingers!" Mabel said as she grabbed Stan's hand to show him. "And this is my twin brother, Dipper. It may be hard to believe we're twins, considering I look so much better than him!"

"That is so neat! Hey, here's my twin brother now!" Mikey said as he waved down another boy carrying an armful of books.

The boy looked exactly like Mikey, right down to the shaved head. Mabel and Dipper figured he had done it in solidarity for his brother.

"Mitch, this is my friend Mabel and her twin brother, Dipper. Remember, I told you about them?"

"Yeah, nice to meet you both! Thanks for putting up with this guy! He was getting unbearable being cooped up in here!" Mitch said as he playfully noogied his brother.

"Oh, it's my-" Mabel suddenly leaned over and vomited into the provided bucket.

Dipper stepped back terrified. "Hey, help her! Why is she getting sick like that?" he asked the nurse, sounding like a scared little boy.

Mabel took a brief break from vomiting to look up at Dipper. "It's okay…I'm okay. It's just a side effect of the che-" Mabel couldn't finish as she leaned over to vomit more.

He backed away from his sister. It was all becoming too much, seeing his sister like this. He wasn't ready to face that she was _that_ sick. She was sick _because of him._ He ran out the door, trying desperately to block out the sound of Mabel calling for him to return.

Stan turned to follow him, but before he left he said, "Don't worry, pumpkin, I'll be right back. You'll look after her, right?" he pleaded to Mikey and Mitch.

Both boys nodded as they tried to distract her Mabel from her troubles, but all she was concerned about was her brother.

Out in the hallway, Dipper collapsed into tears at the state of his poor sister. The fact that _he_ was the reason she was in that state in the first place only made his tears fall faster.

Stan sat at Dipper's side and rubbed the boy's back. He wanted to scold Dipper for leaving his sister, but that wouldn't solve anything. Dipper was just a scared kid and needed his dad to comfort him.

At that moment, Ford walked up carrying a cup of coffee and looking a fair bit better, until he saw his family sitting _outside_ the room Mabel was in. "Dipper? Stanley? What are you doing out here?"

"I…I can't do this, Grunkle Ford! I can't watch that medicine make her sicker!" Dipper cried.

"Dipper, I know this is hard for you, but Mabel needs all of us," said Ford as he put his hand on his back.

"No, she doesn't! If it wasn't for us, she wouldn't be sick!"

Ford and Stan looked at each other nervously. They knew this had been building up inside Dipper, now, it had reached its boiling point.

Dipper looked up at his fathers with rage. "WHY DID YOU LET HER DO IT? WHY DID YOU LET HER DONATE?"

"Dipper," Ford replied sadly. "We've talked about this."

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Dipper began pounding against their chests. Neither of them tried to stop him. They wanted to let him vent. "I HATE YOU! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! IT'S ALL…" Dipper dropped his hands. His voice dropped down to a whisper. "…my fault."

Dipper put his hand over his face and sobbed. His fathers pulled him into a group hug.

"Dipper," Ford said softly. "You can't keep doing this to yourself. It won't help her."

"I know…I know…it's just…if I hadn't have gotten sick…"

"It's not your fault that you got sick. It's not Mabel's fault that she got sick," said Ford. "It's not anyone's fault. It just…happened."

"Take it from me, kid. Beating yourself up ain't gonna fix anything," said Stan. "We can't take back letting Mabel donate her kidney. We need to worry about Mabel _now._ "

"And right now, Mabel needs you to be by her side," said Ford. "If you want to pay her back for what she did, do so by helping her through this."

Dipper knew they were right. He wiped his eyes and nodded that he understood. "I'm sorry…for getting mad at you guys. It's not your fault either."

"Don't worry about it, kid," Stan said.

The three of them had a group hug and took a deep breath before re-entering the treatment room.

Mikey and Mitch were talking to Mabel, but she looked like she was getting sleepy. Her eyes still lit up when she saw her brother had returned. "Dipper, are you okay?"

His sister asking him if he was alright with everything she's going through resolved Dipper to stop feeling sorry for himself. Mabel was the one who was sick; the last thing she needed was to be worrying about him.

Dipper approached his sister and softly kissed her forehead. She was too tired to complain about brother germs. She simply closed her eyes and hummed in contentment. "Don't worry, sis, I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere."


	12. Still Pretty

Over the next few days, the family adjusted to their new routine. It wasn't necessarily getting easier, but it was getting more familiar. The family stayed by Mabel's side and tried to be strong for her, but the reality was that she was the one who was giving her family strength. Cancer was one hell of a disease, but Mabel was a hell of a fighter.

One night, it was Stan's turn to stay with her. She was nauseous and vomited continuously throughout the night. The worst part for him was watching Mabel attempt to be strong for _him._ Each time she threw up, she would give Stan this heartbreaking look, as if she was asking his permission to allow her symptoms to show. Stan thought he had learned about toughness and strength from his stern father and years boxing, but he knew now true strength wore colorful sweaters and had braces on her teeth.

When Mabel finally fell asleep, Stan did what he had done so many times and stroked Mabel's hair. It was something so second nature to him, something so _basic_. It was something he did to soothe her, but little did he know _he_ was the one who was about to need soothing.

One thing about life is how there is always a last time for something: a last time to sleep with a nightlight, ride a bike with training wheels, or getting a piggyback ride.

As he ran his fingers through her hair, he looked down to find a horrifying sight: a clump of his daughter's beautiful hair had fallen into his hands.

Stan knew this was coming. He knew it from the first time that dreaded C-word had been spoken, but that didn't make it easier.

His hands shook wildly and he was overcome with horrendous nausea. Stan rushed into the bathroom and vomited into the toilet. Bile kept rising in his throat and he had to get it out, gagging with every great heave.

There was no way to vomit quietly, so he soon heard a weak and wobbly voice calling him.

"Daddy, are you okay?"

Stan turned around to see Mabel trying to get out of bed. Her whole body was shaking and she looked liked she would tip over any second, but she was still trying to come to her daddy's side.

Stan pushed down his emotions. He rushed to Mabel's side and caught her in his strong arms before she hurt herself.

"It's alright, baby, I got you," Stan soothed as he tried to keep his tone calm.

"Are you sick, Daddy? Do you want me to call a nurse?"

Stan couldn't bear it…watching her worry about him when her body was practically falling apart. He wrapped his arms around her and sobbed. It was awful, but he wished she would cry too. He just wanted her to think about herself right now.

No such luck as Mabel rubbed his back trying to comfort _him._ "It's going to be okay, Daddy."

Stan noticed that he was still holding her hair in his hands as if he could somehow reattach it if he held on to it. He stuffed the hair in his pocket, so Mabel wouldn't see.

"I'm fine, baby, it's just this awful hospital food. Don't you worry, tomorrow, I'll have Ford bring us some real food!" Stan promised as he tucked a blanket around her. "Try to go back to sleep, sweetie. You've had a long day." Stan's hand naturally headed towards her hair, but he quickly retracted his arm and stroked her cheek instead.

Mabel reached up to scratch what she assumed was just an itch. Before Stan could stop her, a clump of hair fell into her hands.

Mabel stared at it for a long moment. Stan couldn't imagine what she was feeling; he grabbed some tissues preparing for the emotions that were sure to come out.

What happened next truly shocked him: Mabel laughed, as though this was all just a big joke. "Talk about your bad hair days!"

She hoped Stan would laugh too. Instead, he just cried harder.

Mabel was at a loss. She had expected her hair to fall out, and prepared herself for it. She tried to use humor to cope with it, but how could she when her own daddy was taking it so hard?

Mabel's eyes filled with tears. She asked a question that tore Stan to pieces: "I'm still pretty…aren't I, Daddy?"

Stan was rendered speechless. He wanted to give her a bone-crushing hug, but she was too weak for that. He tenderly took the girl into his arms and held her close.

"You are the most beautiful girl in the whole world," he whispered as he choked back tears.

Poor Mabel yawned, physically and emotionally drained. Stan gently placed her back on the bed and laid down right beside her.

Mabel was trying hard to be brave, but she was a teenage girl losing her hair. It was an emotional and terrifying thing to endure, and she sought to find a way to calm herself down without making her daddy upset.

She began playing with the tassel on his fez, as she often did when she was afraid. Stan noticed this and took it off give to her, but what Mabel did instead broke his heart further. With his fez removed, Mabel ran her fingers through _his_ hair. She wanted to feel his hair, knowing she soon won't have any of her own.

Stan bit his lip as he leaned his face closer to Mabel's so she could at least be more comfortable. Before long Mabel fell asleep with her hand still in his hair.

He had one arm wrapped around her body and used his other hand to pull out his cellphone to send Ford a brief, yet heartbreaking, text.

 _Her hair is falling out. Bring a razor tomorrow._


	13. Rainbow Hair

Mabel managed a very deep sleep that night. It was the kind of sleep that was so deep upon awakening, she didn't automatically remember what had occurred the night before. When she woke up and felt the cold patches where her warm hair used to be, she remember what had happened last night, and, more importantly, what would happen today. Ford would be coming by to shave her entire head until she was rendered completely and totally bald. Despite her joking nature from last night, it was something that she was horrified by. She had spent years growing her hair out and loved the many hairstyles it afforded her. She knew the men in her family would respect her wishes and not cut their hair and allow her to play with it all she wanted, but it wouldn't be anywhere near long enough to do braids or curls or any other style she loved.

Suddenly, she had a thought: maybe if she could just wash her remaining hair, she could somehow preserve just a little bit of it. Sure, it still wouldn't be enough to do complex hairstyles, but it would be enough to at least make her feel prettier throughout her fight. It wasn't an idea rooted in logic, but Mabel's mind rarely was.

She noticed that Stan was still fast asleep as apparent by his light snoring. Mabel didn't want to wake her poor daddy. He had so rarely been able to experience a full night's rest since adopting her and Dipper. In fact, recalling his stories about his past, she assumed he hadn't gotten the sleep he needed for most of his life. He deserved rest now.

She very slowly and carefully wiggled out of his grip. She had been practicing getting in and out of bed with her limited mobility and as quietly as possible she grabbed her walker and went to the restroom to use the sink to wash what was left of her hair.

She didn't realize she was only about to make things worse.

The hair fell out even quicker than it had before, clump after clump falling into the sink. Mabel tried to be quiet, tried to be strong, tried to stop it. The harder she tried, the worse things seemed to become. She didn't want to cry out and wake her daddy, but it was too much to take in at once. She tried covering her mouth to hush the sobs, but the tears fell as quickly as her hair.

The sound of running water mixed with the muffled cries was enough to wake up Stan, who instantly rushed into the bathroom to find his daughter on her knees surrounded by clumps of hair.

Seeing that she had woken up Stan only made her tears flow faster. "I-I'm sorry for waking you…I just wanted to save some of the hair…I'm trying to be as strong as you think I am…as strong as _you are_."

Stan couldn't bear it. He was a spineless coward compared to her, and yet she saw him as strong. It was an honor he didn't know if he would ever live up to.

He pulled her onto his lap so he could hold her. "You're stronger than me…so much stronger. I couldn't be as strong as you if I tried."

"I don't wanna lose all of it!" she sobbed against his chest. "I just wanted to keep a little…"

"I know, baby, but you are so beautiful, and your hair has nothing to do with it…nothing at all." Stan soothed as he rubbed her back to try to soothe her.

"I'm still gonna miss it…"

"I know pumpkin, but it'll grow back, I promise." Stan had no way to know this for sure, but he had to believe all of Mabel's suffering has a purpose, that she'll get back everything she's lost.

Hearing this seemed to calm Mabel a little bit. She even managed one of those beautiful smiles. "When it does grow back, can I dye it?"

"Any color you want."

"All the colors? Rainbow?" Mabel asked.

"Definitely rainbow…after all, rainbow is my favorite color," Stan teased as he recalled Mabel's dangerous, but heartwarming, attempt to show him a rainbow.

"Rainbow isn't a color, silly. It's a bunch of colors!"

Stan playfully raised his eyebrow. "Says who?"

"I don't know…the people who decided the rules of colors!"

"Since when do you and me follow the rules?"

Mabel managed a tearful smile. She didn't care what anyone else thought of her Grunkle Stan, she was so proud to be like him.

Stan thought for a moment, and then said, "You know, I might dye my hair rainbow too."

Mabel giggled. "You'll look silly."

"No, I'll look like you:" Stan said, tapping her nose. "The strongest and most beautiful person I know."


	14. Shaving Party

Mikey felt strange when his chemo treatment made him lose his hair, but he didn't feel… _horrible_ about it. He was a boy; he could deal with being bald okay. Bald was an acceptable hairstyle for men (Mitch even said he looked cool, like Lex Luthor).

But his poor friend Mabel was a girl. It was always harder for female patients to lose their hair.

Mikey was surprised at how much it stung to see his friend missing patches of hair. She looked just like she did in this first-grade class picture she had shown him when she had to shave gum out of her hair. She told him she was upset about it at the time but has since gotten over it and was able to look back fondly on that picture of her and Dipper.

This would be different though; she wouldn't be cutting just a small part of her hair. In the span of only a few minutes, Mabel would be rendered totally bald.

Like with most things, Mabel tried to look at the issue from a different angle. "It used to take me forever to dry my hair, so think of all the free time I will have now that it's gone!"

Mabel noticed the sadness in the room and wanted to make them feel better. "C'mon, guys, get rid of those frowns! No one likes a grumpy-grump! Let's get this party started!"

Mabel decided this wasn't going to be a sad event but rather a fun activity. She invited some of her gal pals to come so it would feel more like a real party. Mabel forced them to make a pact they would not cut their own hair, so Mabel would still have other people's hair to play with. "You know me, I like to be an original! No copycats!"

"You won't be that original in this part of the hospital, Mabel! You're one of us now!" Mikey said, partially teasing and partially reminding her that she's not alone.

"But I will be the one with the most colorful hats!" Mabel giggled, revealing a whole bag full of hats in every color imaginable.

"Fair enough," Mikey conceded. In truth, Mabel didn't need to _look_ different to be unique; her personality was enough.

"I made one for you too!" She beamed as she began digging through her assortment.

"Ah geez…you didn't have to," Mikey said, blushing. He knew his friend was just trying to be nice, but he didn't know how he felt about wearing some girly knit hat.

When Mabel pulled the hat out, however, Mikey was surprised to discover she had knitted him a black knit hat with the Z-Files logo on it.

"Wow…thank you," he managed, not wanting to get emotional. It was by far the nicest gift anyone had given him since his time in the hospital. To think it was being given to him by a girl going through one of the hardest times of her life only touched him more.

The others in the room smiled at the warmth that still radiated from her despite her fragile state.

Ford's hand was shaking as he held the razor. He couldn't believe what he was about to do. Not since blasting his own brother with a memory gun had a deliberate action against someone he loved stung so bad.

It took a moment, but Ford finally found his voice to softly whisper, "Alright, dear, are you ready?"

Mabel gave that confident smile that would every so often make Mikey's heart skip a beat as she said. "Bring it on!"

Despite her outward confidence, Mikey couldn't help but notice she was clinging to Stan's hand the entire time.

When they had finished shaving her hair, Candy and Grenda began toying around with their makeup to try to maintain that feminine touch.

At that moment, Mikey was surprised when a blonde girl with an army of girls who appeared to be almost clones entered the room decked out in cheerleading uniforms. Mikey had never taken Mabel for the type to hang around popular, snobby girls, but he supposed her infectious spirit appealed to all kinds of people.

They all looked shocked to see Mabel's new shaven head but tried to force smiles. They knew this would happen, but it was still a shock to see her like this. Pacifica even appeared to have tears in her eyes.

"Hey, girls! Come in! Join the party! You can help us give Dipper a makeover!" she said as she held out red lipstick and gave a playfully evil smile.

Some of the girls looked like they wanted to but were frozen in silence. Pacifica finally spoke up. "That's alright, Mabel. We just stopped by to bring you these flowers." She left them on the table and quickly bid Mabel goodbye. She wanted to try to come back later to visit with her. Right now, she was in too much shock, and she refused to let Mabel see her cry.

"Alright, ladies! Let's see how I look!"

Wendy hesitantly held up the handheld mirror so Mabel could see. Mabel's smile fell upon seeing herself. She had tried to not let losing her hair get to her and told herself she was beautiful no matter what.

But she didn't even recognize the girl staring back at her: her skin was pale, her cheeks lost all their rosiness, her eyes were dulled and sunken-in. With her hair gone, there was no resemblance to the healthy girl she used to be.

Mabel bit her lip and tried to say something to assure her friends and family she was okay, even if it wasn't true. Everyone in the room was trying to think of what to say to make Mabel feel better.

Mikey felt horrible for her. After being so nice to him, she deserved to be paid back. He swallowed his shyness and broke the silence by telling her, "I think you look beautiful."

Mabel blushed and couldn't hide her grin at Mikey's compliment. Wendy, Candy, and Grenda were stifling their giggles seeing Mabel so demure. It wasn't like her to be shy around anyone, especially boys.

"Thanks, Mikey," Mabel said softly. For the first time in a while, she truly felt beautiful.


	15. Janice

Mabel was sleeping soundly when Stan's cell phone vibrated. He noticed that it was Soos calling, so he snuck out of the room while Ford stayed with Mabel.

"What's wrong, Soos? You burn the place down?"

" _No, Mr. Pines. Business is booming actually. Lots of people around here care about hambone and want to help with money."_

Stan was grateful that people loved and cared about his baby girl, but he would rather business be slow and for Mabel to be healthy.

" _That actually wasn't the reason I called,"_ Soos continued.

"Well, what is it?"

" _Some lady called the shack for you. She got really grumpy when I said you weren't around…called me a simpleton,"_ Soos mumbled.

Stan instantly knew who the handyman was talking about. "Soos…what did you tell her?"

" _I just told her you were with hambone in the hospital. When she asked why, I told her about the cancer. Boy, was she mad! I tried talking to her some more, but she hung up on me-"_ That was as far as Soos got before he heard the dial tone. _"Yeah like that."_

Stan quietly opened the door to Mabel's hospital room. He didn't want to wake her up and subject her to more worry and stress.

Ford noticed that Stan looked like he had seen a ghost. "Stanley, what's wrong?"

Stan motioned with his arm for Ford to follow him outside. Ford glanced back, not wanting to leave his daughter, but the look on his face was urgent enough for Ford to want to obey. He placed a stuffed animal beside his daughter in case she woke up so she wouldn't be afraid.

"Stanley, what's wr-" Ford started.

"Janice knows."

"What? How? Who told her?"

"She called the shack and Soos told her…" Stan said as he put his hands on his head.

Ford folded his hands over his mouth. "Okay…she's going to be angry. She has a right to be angry. We need to think what on earth we're going to say to her."

Before they could continue, they heard the rapid clicking and clacking of overpriced high-heeled shoes coming down the hospital hallway.

"Shit!" Both brothers said simultaneously. They had run out of time. They turned to her preparing to face her wrath like men.

"Janice, listen…" Stan spoke as he reached out his hand, only for Janice to ignore him and run straight into Mabel's room.

The sight left her speechless. Her sweet and lively niece was now lying in a hospital bed. All color had left her face and she was totally bald and had no hair on her eyebrows or anywhere else on her body. Stuffed animals and cards and flowers surrounded her, not a single one from Janice.

Janice made enough noise coming in that Mabel rose up from her peaceful slumber. When she saw her great aunt a look of terror plastered over her face. She rushed to grab a knit hat to conceal her bald head, but she knew it was no use. "G-Great-Aunt Janice…I-I'm sorry…if I had known you were coming I would have…I mean I'm…I'm sorry I look so…"

Janice's heart broke. Mabel was afraid of her. Her niece was deathly ill, and the poor girl thought Janice would be worried about her _appearance?_ Is that what Mabel thought of her? That Janice was really that cold and shallow of a person?

She knelt by her bedside, looking like she wanted to vomit, but she swallowed hard and looked her niece in the eyes. Despite them being dull and sunken in, they still reminded Janice so much of her mother. "Mabel…you are so beautiful, so much more beautiful then I-" Her voice cracked.

Stan and Ford appeared by Mabel's side as well. Mabel was hit with fear of what Janice would do. She clung to her daddies' hands. "This isn't their fault…I was the one who wanted to donate. I wanted to save Dipper. Please…please don't take me away from my daddies."

"I would never take you from them," Janice managed thickly. "You don't ever have to worry about that. Just worry about getting better, alright?"

"Thanks…Graunty Janice." Mabel gave a weak smile before closed her eyes and quickly fell back asleep.

"I love you so much, Mabel." Janice gave Mabel a kiss on the forehead before rushing out of the room to cry in the hallway.

Stan and Ford followed her out, feeling bad for her and wanting to comfort her. She whipped around and gave both men a death glare. She won't take the kids away from their fathers, but that didn't mean she was letting them off the hook. _"You two…"_

Stan and Ford backed away with their hands up in a surrender position. "Janice-"

"When I left Dipper and Mabel with you, I had one request. I requested you keep me updated on how they were doing. When Dipper became ill, you did inform me. When Mabel donated her kidney, you informed of that as well. Now, I call to check in on how they are recovering from _that_ ordeal, only to find a whole new medical emergency has taken place without my knowledge."

Stan and Ford stared down at their feet. They hated to admit it, but Janice was right.

"What if Mabel had _died_ while I was in the dark about her illness? And I would never have gotten to say goodbye?" Janice's voice broke.

"Okay! Okay! We get it!" Stan said wanting to push that terrible thought from all their minds.

"Janice," Ford started. "We are so sorry. In all the chaos, we simply forgot to inform you. There's no excuse for that. You have every right to be angry."

And by God, Janice was angry, but more than that, she was scared. She broke down in tears.

Not knowing what else to do Stan pulled her into a tight embrace. Ford soon followed as the three adults cried over the child they all loved.

"How…how much is her treatment costing you?"

Stan didn't know how to respond. He had given very little thought to the money they were pouring into Mabel's treatment. They had been dipping into funds the stingy Stan had hoarded away for years, reluctant to ever let go of it. Now, the only concern he had of losing his money was of it running out before his daughter got better.

"Never mind," Janice said before either of them could answer. "I'll pay for all further treatments and reimburse whatever you've paid already."

"Janice," Ford said, shocked. "You don't…"

"I don't want to hear it, Stanford. I have to do _something_ for her… _anything._ Let me do this for her. Let me help."

Pride be damned, Stan and Ford couldn't turn down any financial support that could help Mabel get better.

"Thank you, Janice," Stan said quietly.

"I have two conditions: One, you only get the best care money can buy."

Stan and Ford nodded. They were doing that with or without Janice's money.

"And two, you tell me _everything_ that's going on."

"Of course," said Ford. "It's the least we could do."

"Here," Stan motioned over to Mabel's room. "Why don't you come sit with her a little bit?"

Janice backed up shaking her head. "No…I can't…I can't see her like this…"

"Janice…don't walk away…" Stan said. "You may regret it."

"I already do." Janice's shaking hand reached into her purse to grab a small stack of cash. She handed it to Stan. "Here…use this to buy her whatever she wants. …anything that will make her happy. Tell her it's from me. Tell her I love her…" the tears flowed from her face ashamed that she wasn't strong enough to be there for her niece. All she could do was throw her money around.

That's all she felt she was good for anyway.


	16. I'll Miss You

One of the only nice things about being cooped up in a hospital was having Mikey around. It was nice to have a friend who understood what she was going through. The hospital was small, so they were the only two teenagers in the cancer ward. The bond they had formed was based on one of the cruelest, yet strongest foundations. The foundation of life, most people their age typically live life day-by-day where their worries only stretch as far as the weekend. Mikey and Mabel didn't have that luxury. They were thrown into the deep waters of uncertainty for what the future might hold, or if they would even be given a future. Both of them had this understanding that they had to stick together in order to stay afloat.

"Isn't it weird that we can put a man on the moon, create robotics for basically everything, and put squeezable cheese in a can, but yet we can't cure cancer?" Mabel questioned wistfully.

"Personally, I believe there is a cure out there. Aliens came to Earth with the cure, but the government is withholding it from us!"

Mabel gave a laugh as Mikey continued his conspiratorial tirade about how aliens came to Earth to free us of all diseases, but the government captured them and hid them to keep control of the masses. And people said _she_ was eccentric.

She loved his eccentric nature though; it was nice to be around someone who was so... _confident_ about who he was. It was a trait that tended to be rare in teenagers in general, especially teenage boys. Mabel attributed it to the cancer. For as evil and awful a disease as it was, there was nothing like it to remind you that life is too short to ignore who you are. His confidence melted her heart and made her smile in a way that she believed no boy ever would again.

Mikey smiled too, but then his eyes caught sight of his IV bag. This was his last chemo treatment ever. He thought he should be happy about it, but since Mabel came along, it became his favorite part of the day. She was so much fun to be around, she made him forget how sick he was. She was so happy and bubbly all the time, he'd forget how sick she was too.

"Do you ever get angry?" Mikey asked her.

"About what?" Mabel asked confused.

"About getting sick. I mean, I get mad at my cancer, but mine it just happened. But you…you donated your kidney to your brother, and that's what made you sick. I would be so furious if I was you."

"I do get mad sometimes. I really miss my long hair," she whispered as her fingers pretended to braid the hair that was no longer there. "But I think I would be madder if something happened to Dipper. Besides, if I hadn't gotten sick, I would have never met you."

Mikey blushed, a cancer ward was certainly an odd place to find such a special friend, but he was still thankful he had.

It made him consider asking her something else...rather it made him want to _tell_ her something else, but for some reason the words kept getting caught in his throat...which almost never happened.

Instead of speaking, the two simply sat in silence for a moment before Mabel gathered the nerve to ask him her own question. "Do you ever get scared?"

Mikey frowned, he didn't want to admit it, but he had no reason to lie to his friend. "Sometimes. I'm lucky cause my type of cancer is really easy to treat. I just need one small surgery and then get back to my regularly scheduled life!"

Mabel smiled happy that her friend's chances were so good.

"What about you? You don't seem like the type to scare easily," Mikey asked

"Well…Grunkle Ford studies the paranormal and he told me there's probably an afterlife. My mom and dad are already gone, and…there's almost a part of me that wants to see them again. But then I get scared because I don't want to leave Dipper and my Grunkle Daddies. But I also know I…I may not have a choice."

Tears had begun to build in her eyes, which made Mikey concerned. Through this whole hell Mabel had never cried in front of him. He wasn't the overly sentimental type, but something inside him wanted to make his cheerful friend happy again.

"Hey…" Mikey said softly as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, you can beat this. I know you can."

"You think so?"

"Yeah! You have the fighting spirit! I noticed it from the first time I met you."

"That's what Grunkle Stan says!"

"Well, he knows what he's talking about. For an old man, he's pretty tough!"

Mabel let out a laugh, but she decided she wanted to change the subject regardless.

"So, when's your surgery going down?" Mabel asked.

"9 o'clock tomorrow! The doctor said if everything goes well, I'll be out of here by the end of the week!"

"Oh…." Mabel didn't want to feel sad. She wanted Mikey to get better, of course, but she couldn't pretend she won't miss him.

Mikey could read her emotions and offered her a small smile. "But hey, before you know it, you'll be joining me on the outside! I'll even come visit you!"

"You don't have to do that. You've spent more than enough time here! Just promise you won't forget me?"

"Trust me, Mabel, I couldn't forget you even if I tried."

This made Mabel smile. "I'm glad, cause I'm never forgetting you either…even if Ford zapped me with a memory gun!"

Mikey looked confused. Mabel decided not to reveal too much more about Ford's scientific exploits. She kept her adoptive fathers' illicit activities close to the vest after what happened with Janice. "What I'm trying to say is: if I had to go through all of this again, it would be worth it to meet you all over again!"

Mikey was touched. This whole journey hadn't been much fun, but it had gotten substantially better when Mabel entered his life. "Same here…chemo compadre."

"And hey," Mikey added. "It's not like we'll stop being friends once we are both footloose and cancer free!"

"I hope we never stop being friends!"

Hearing her say that made Mikey think even harder about what he wanted to tell her...how much he admired her, how much her friendship meant to him, how he didn't want that friendship to end when they were both healthy again — how maybe he wanted to be more than friends…

But there would be plenty of time to tell her.

"We won't. Even when we are as old as your dads!" Mikey joked, falling back on his humor to save him from getting too mushy.

It was funny, she hadn't looked at boys the same way since Brad. It was the cruelest possible way to get her out of her 'boy-crazy' phase. But she cared about Mikey differently than she cared about any previous crushes. It was like her feelings for him were… _deeper_ than simply romantic interest. She felt a bond with him she knew she would never feel with anyone else in her whole life. She couldn't describe it in words, but it was a different feeling than the affection she had for Dipper and her daddies.

She wanted to let him know how she felt, how happy he made her, and how thankful she was that he had come into her life and shown her that love could still exist after such hardship. But she didn't want to push herself on him, not now. She was convinced he had more important things to worry about now, namely claiming the cancer-free life that he deserved.

Instead of communicating their feelings with words, the two children tenderly embraced.

Mikey would make it through tomorrow, Mabel was sure...but it couldn't hurt to make a pact. "Pinky promise you'll let me know how it goes?"

"I promise," Mikey said.

"Not good enough. You've gotta pinky promise!" Mabel said holding out her pinky. Mikey relented and locked pinkies with his dear friend.

Mikey finally finished his chemo treatment…his _final_ chemo treatment. His parents helped him into the wheelchair and wheeled him away.

"Good luck tomorrow, Mikey!" Mabel said in a tone that communicated a deep conviction that he wouldn't really need it.

"Thanks, Mabel! See you later!"

 _And when I do, I'll tell you how I really feel, I promise._ Mikey silently vowed.

And with that, Mikey was gone.


	17. Waiting

That next day, it was Stan's turn to stay with Mabel while Ford took care of things at home and Dipper went to school.

The two of them were playing cards, but Mabel was hardly paying attention.

"C'mon pumpkin, you're making this way too easy for me!" Stan joked as he collected the chips.

"I'm sorry, Grunkle Stan. I'm just thinking about Mikey," Mabel said as she gazed at the clock on the wall.

"I'm sure he's fine, baby girl. You just gotta give him time."

Mabel silently watched the clock for a few more moments before asking Stan a question, "Do you think he likes me?"

Stan looked at her confused and surprised for a moment before giving the most logical answer to him. "Mikey? Of course he likes you! Heck, everybody likes you, pumpkin. Well, everybody except Bill, but Bill doesn't really like any—"

"No, Grunkle Stan, I mean...do you think he _likes_ me?"

Stan's eyebrow raised as it hit him what exactly Mabel was asking.

 _Oh boy._

He blushed in spite of himself. This was one conversation topic that he was more comfortable discussing with Dipper. He couldn't pinpoint exactly why. The obvious answer was that he and Dipper were both male (though Dipper had more respect for women than he had when he was younger).

He could only contribute his change of heart to Mabel going from a visiting relative to his forever daughter. It was common knowledge how fathers tend to feel about their little girls dating boys.

And there was the added layer of Brad. An innocent crush on the wrong person set off a chain reaction of his poor daughter going through one traumatic event after another — all of which he failed to protect her from.

So, he was wary of Mabel showing interest in another boy. But Mikey didn't set off any red flags with him. He saw the way their faces lit up when they were around each other. There was nothing phony or manipulative between the two of them. It wasn't easy to earn Stan's trust, especially when it came to his little girl, but Mikey was a good kid and a good match for Mabel.

"I don't see why he wouldn't. After all, you are the most beautiful girl in the world." Stan gulped, nervous to ask about this next part. "Do _you_ like _him_?"

"Yeah…I think I do. It's been kind of hard to tell for sure considering…you know…" Mabel wanted to avoid saying his name.

Stan nodded to communicate he understood.

"But I think...I think I need to tell him how I feel, cause that's the only way I'll ever know if he feels the same way. I just…don't want to push him while he's recovering, you know?"

"He's an awfully lucky guy to have someone like you to likehim. If I was waking up from surgery, I think a pretty girl saying she liked me would cheer me up."

"Also…I mean…I don't think Mikey is like…that… _at all_ , but…I'm still afraid to…you know, after everything that happened, I don't want to be boy crazy and cause more trouble."

"Honey…" Stan put his hand under her chin. "If you really like this boy, or any other guy, you shouldn't let _him,"_ Stan said, still refusing to say Brad's name. "Ruin it for you. You deserve to be with anyone that makes you happy."

Mabel gave Stan a big hug, grateful for his advice and belief in her chances of finding real love...despite the heartbreak that her boy crazy phase had caused him and her whole family. " _You_ make me really happy."

"Aww…thanks, pumpkin. You make me really happy too."

Something about the way Stan said that reminded her how much losing her would hurt him. She thought back to what she and Mikey discussed earlier. "Do you ever get scared I won't make it?"

Of course he did. The horrible thought of Mabel not surviving was a constant dark cloud that haunted his mind. Just moments ago when he told Mabel how happy she made him, Stan couldn't help but consider the possibility that he would lose his happiness. He was beyond terrified, but he couldn't let Mabel know that.

Stan waved his hand dismissively. "Nah! Medical science has come so far in my lifetime. Most doctors I've met ain't nothing but scam artists. But these doctors know what they're doing! Besides, if anyone will kick cancer's butt, it's gonna be my little fighter!" Stan put up his hands in a boxing position and threw playful punches at Mabel.

But Mabel wasn't into it. She just kept looking nervously at the clock.

"Hey, you'll see when Mikey smokes this thing! Maybe he can give you fighting tips!" Stan joked with a wink.

Stan tried to keep Mabel distracted, but her eyes kept wandering towards the clock. Minutes passed by, but no word from Mikey. Not even from Mitch or his parents coming to let her know how he was.

"He should be done by now, Grunkle Stan. Can we go stop by his room and make sure he's okay?"

Mabel's big, brown eyes made Stan cave on the best of days. Truth be told, he was concerned about Mikey too, not only because he was so dear to Mabel, but he thought seeing Mikey survive his illness would give him some peace that Mabel would survive hers. "Alright, pumpkin, we can go."

When they got to his room, there was no sound of Mitch and Mikey laughing like Mabel was used to.

 _He's napping, that's all. He's tired after the surgery._

When Stan knocked on the door, they realized the door had been left slightly ajar and swung open slightly.

Mikey's parents and brother were on the bed with tears streaming down their faces, the Z-files hat in Mitch's hand.


	18. Reality Hits

Stan had seen Mabel cry plenty of times: when he lost his memory, when her parents died, when Brad nearly raped her, countless panic attacks intermittently the last couple of years. None of those times could compare to the sobbing wreck the poor girl was now.

Stan wanted to collapse in tears too, but he had to be strong for his daughter. He scooped her up into his strong arms and carried her away from the room. He had to get her away from there, not just for her sake, but for the grieving family to not have to hear the friend of their lost son and brother wailing in the hallway.

"Daddy's here, baby. Daddy's got you. Daddy's right here." Stan didn't try to hush her sobs or tell her it would be alright. Nothing was alright.

Stan carried her back to her room and sat down in the rocking chair. He rocked her back and forth in his arms just like he had the night that she was born. Just like that night, he was shaking and terrified, but this time, for a totally different reason.

That baby he had held in his arms that first night was a stranger to him. A brand-new life that didn't exist very long before being placed in his arms. Of course, the moment he saw her, his heart melted, and he fell in love with her.

But he couldn't have imagined what a huge impact she would have on her life. He had gotten to know everything about her; her likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, fears and uncertainties. She had grown into someone who he was so honored to know and love, someone who was more to him than he could have ever dreamed. She was his _daughter_ , and he might lose her.

"IT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Mabel wailed. "HE…HE…WAS HEALTHIER THAN ME! HE WAS JUST A KID! HE WANTED TO BE AN ALIEN HUNTER!"

"I know baby, I know," Stan soothed as he rubbed her back, all the while he was fighting a losing battle to stop his own tears from flowing.

"I never said goodbye…" Mabel whispered against Stan's chest. "It was supposed to work! Why didn't it work, Daddy?"

Stan, of course, didn't have an answer. He couldn't provide her any certainty about anything. He whispered the only thing he could think to comfort her, the only thing he knew was true and always would be. "I love you so much. I love you. I love you. I love you. I'm here and I love you."

"I love you too...I loved him too.. _."_

"I know you do, baby, and he knows that too," Stan assured.

"How could he? I never told him," Mabel said as the full-blown sobs returned.

"Because you're so full of love. You're bursting at the seams with love in your heart. Anyone can see. He saw it, I know he did."

Reality came crashing in on the poor girl. Of course, the fear of death had been within her, but she deluded herself into believing she can beat this if she just fought hard enough.

But Mikey had fought so hard. He had been ready to get well and move on with his life. Mikey had gone into that surgery probably holding the hand of a family member who promised to be there for him when he woke up, and he closed his eyes believing that. But he never woke up again.

People _die_ from this. _Children_ die from this. S _he_ could die from this.

Mabel looked up at Stan with pleading eyes and whimpered, "I don't wanna die, Daddy."

The words were like a spear through Stan's heart. He couldn't hold back his own flood of tears anymore having to hear his little girl beg him for her life, as if he wouldn't move heaven and earth to give her that.

All father and daughter could do was hold on to each other as long as they could.


	19. Saying Goodbye

Mabel took pride in the fact that her large brown eyes could make her fathers (and pretty much anyone with a heart) cave, but even she had to plead extra hard to be allowed out of the hospital long enough to attend Mikey's funeral. No matter how hard she would have to plead, this was one desire that _had to_ be fulfilled. She felt like such a failure as a friend for not saying a proper goodbye to Mikey before his surgery and was determined not to fail him again.

Her doctors and nurses gave her what felt like a mile-long list of restrictions. It would be her first time outside of the hospital since first checking in, and numerous precautions had to be taken to ensure her time outside wouldn't result in further complications. She had to wear a face mask at all times, couldn't touch people unless their hands had been sanitized, and had to return to the hospital in no less than an hour.

Mabel didn't care how many stupid restrictions she had to adhere to, so long as she could say a proper goodbye to her beloved friend.

The family arrived at the graveyard just in time for the service and took their seats at the very back to make sure Mabel as far away from other people as possible, and so they could make a clean getaway should the need arise.

At first, especially given the circumstances, Mabel was holding up. Even though she felt like she was working overtime to keep her breathing under control. Her emotions had been totally out of whack since the death of her friend. She wanted to maintain some level of control through this hell, and her breathing exercises were the only way to get it.

The control started to break down when she managed to look in between the taller people sitting in front of her to get a good look at the casket the first time.

 _The casket holding her beloved friend._

She had thought about this moment and how painful it would be for the better part of the day. She had decided to try to play a mental game of denial in her head. Convince herself that he wasn't really in that box. Imagine it like some kind of elaborate prank that Mabel and the crowd were simply humoring.

But it wasn't a joke.

His parents and Mitch were sitting there crying their eyes out. Mikey cared about them too much to be hurting them with a prank.

The casket even had the special Z-files hat that Mabel had worked so hard on draped atop.

Mikey was gone. His beautiful and vibrant life over after only fourteen years, soon to be placed in the ground, lost to the sands of time.

As if Mother Nature herself was sharing this painful realization, they all heard thunder in the distance. That meant that soon, they'll be rain, which Mabel should not be in under any circumstances.

"I'm sorry, pumpkin. We have to go," Stan said sympathetically.

"No," Mabel cried, though controlled and quiet enough to not draw attention away from the on-going service.

"Mabel, you can't afford to be in rain," Ford started. "The doctor said—"

"I don't care what the doctor said! I can't leave him! Not now!" Mabel said a little louder, catching the attention of those immediately around her.

"Mabel, you could get sick." Dipper pointed out, more determined than ever to protect his twin.

"I'M ALREADY SICK!" Mabel shrieked loud enough that everyone there was now looking at her. Stan and Ford were trying to gently force her away from the funeral, but she was thrashing and struggling against their arms.

"Mabel, stop! You're going to hurt yourself!" Ford was trying to protect her fragile frame, while also doing his best to do what he had to do for her health.

"I'M ALREADY HURTING! IT'S HURTS SO BAD! EVERYTHING HURTS SO BAD!"

Most of the attendees were sobbing now. Even the ones who didn't know Mabel could piece together who she was and where Mikey had met her.

"I CAN'T LEAVE HIM! HE'S MY FRIEND! I CAN'T LET HIM DOWN!" Mabel shouted, even as she began to cough — the illness still within her reminding her that it was still gonna fight with all it had until Mabel herself was in a casket.

Mikey's mother came from the front and went over to the young girl. Mabel calmed as Mikey's mother wrapped her arms around the girl so dear to her son.

"Mabel…you never let Mikey down. You gave him such a wonderful gift. He was so lonely before you came. You made him so happy in the last weeks of his life. We can never thank you for that." Her voice caught as more tears streamed down her face.

"You don't have to worry about Mikey anymore. He's at peace now. Go back to the hospital and get better. Mikey will be with you. He'll be your guardian angel."

Mabel broke down in tears as Mikey's mother hugged her tight. It had been so long since she's felt the loving touch of a mother. As much as she loved her fathers, they could never replicate the tender touch of a mother.

"He loved you, you know?" she whispered.

"I loved him too," Mabel whimpered. Hearing Mikey loved her didn't ease her pain in the least; it just made her hate herself for not telling him she loved him back, and it made her hate the disease that had robbed them of the happy life they could have had together.

Another clap of thunder warned them of the impending rain. Mikey's mother released Mabel into the arms of her father. Mabel didn't put up a fight.

She was done fighting.


	20. Other Half New

Ford was loading the weary Mabel into the car before she made a heartbreaking request.

"Dipper…Grunkle Stan…have to stay…stay and say goodbye for me," she pleaded in-between coughs.

The last thing Dipper wanted to do right now was leave his sister. "Mabel—"

"Please."

Her eyes were pleading and red from the tears, how could Dipper say no?

He simply nodded as Ford handed over two umbrellas to protect them from the impending rainfall.

Stan and Dipper watched helplessly as Ford drove Mabel down the dirt road and back towards her medical prison.

—

Dipper Pines had seen some surreal things in his life. His entire first summer in Gravity Falls could count as a surreal experience. It was surreal having the author of the journals and an old man Dipper wasn't even sure loved him become his adoptive fathers. It was a surreal experience to have his kidney removed and replaced by his sister's. It was a surreal experience sitting by her side as she went from having beautiful long hair that she loved putting glitter and ribbons in, to being totally bald. None one of them held a candle to standing beside Mitch as his twin brother was lowered into a grave.

He couldn't bear to watch. Despite being so young, Dipper felt like he had permanently rejected the idea of a God. He could never see himself believing in an omnipotent deity allowing so many suffering and death to occur. Nonetheless, he bowed his head and closed his eyes, pretending to be in prayer to avoid watching.

He felt awful for Mitch. He knew the bond between twins. From the moment you are born, there is this other person you share _everything_ with. You are always seen as part of a pair. While there are certainly times that could be annoying, Dipper couldn't imagine living his life any other way.

He couldn't imagine having his own cake for his birthday. He couldn't imagine going back to the shack and never having Mabel to share his room with. He couldn't imagine Stan and Ford raising him as an only child. And he didn't want to find out what that would be like.

Mitch didn't have a choice though. He had to go on with his life the best he could. Dipper felt like the least he could do was try to be a good friend to Mitch.

Dipper went up to him after the burial. "Mitch…I'm so sorry."

 _Sorry your best friend is dead. Sorry you have to spend the rest of your life alone. Sorry that there's a horrible, selfish part of me that's thinking, 'better your twin than mine.'_

The grieving boy was silent for a long time before his whispered, "I never got to say goodbye you know?"

Dipper was silent, waiting for Mitch to elaborate.

"The day of his surgery, everyone was so sure it would work… _I_ was so sure it would work. Before he went in, Mom and Dad told him that they loved him, but all I said was, 'I'll see you later, dork.'" More tears streamed down Mitch's face. "I should have told him how much I loved him. Now, I'll never have the chance."

"Hey…you guys were siblings. Name-calling is basically how we tell each other we love them. Don't you think Mikey knew you well enough to know what he really means to you?"

"I know…I know…I just feel so guilty."

"I know what you mean," said Dipper. "But at least you weren't the one who made your twin sick."

"You mean cause she gave you her kidney? Mikey told me," he elaborated when Dipper looked surprised.

"Your sister was a great friend to Mikey. She was there for him when…I couldn't be."

 _Mabel has a talent for being there when no one else can_ Dipper thought as his mind went to a dark place he had unfortunately been many times throughout this journey. A place where he and his fathers were terrified for him as he faced certain death. They had all felt so helpless as their options seemed so few and hope seemed so far away. Until Mabel had come in and selflessly put herself on the front lines to help her brother...no matter what it would cost her.

It was as if Mitch was reading his mind, because he soon spoke up, "you know, Mikey was always talking about how amazing it was that Mabel gave her kidney to her twin brother...he joked that you must have been a pretty amazing brother, because if the roles were reversed he would never do the same for me."

Only Mabel could make a huge sacrifice and still make him come across as the best twin.

"He talked about her non-stop, you know? About drove all of us crazy with stories of how wonderful, cool, kind, beautiful, and awesome she was. I told him that the cancer was nothing compared to his love-sickness."

Dipper couldn't hold back a small laugh. How ironic that after obsessing over so many guys in her life, she finally met someone who obsessed just as much over her. It had to be most twisted irony ever.

"Really though…it was just nice to have my brother back. For a while, the cancer really drained him. After he met your sister, it was like he had a reason to live again, and even though he…" Mitch couldn't finish the sentence, as if still struggling to comprehend it himself. "I got more time with the twin I knew and loved because of your sister...mom's right when she says we can never repay her for that."

A few tears flowed down Mitch's face. Dipper stayed by his side and patiently rubbed his back.

After awhile he did manage a watery smile until he could speak again.

"I hope we could still be friends," he finally managed.

"Count on it. The Mystery Shack is a run-down, tourist-trap dump, but just know it's always open to you."

Mitch gave a small smile. "As soon as Mabel's better, we can _all three_ watch movies over there."

Dipper gave a small nod. He was still left in the uncertainty of whether Mabel _would_ get better, but hearing Mitch say it helped.

Dipper stood there for a long time. One by one, guests began to leave in an attempt Bto avoid the rain shower. Before long, Mitch was getting into the car with his parents, now left with the daunting task of trying to continue the rest of his life without his other half.

How could Dipper possibly live without _his_ other half? Mabel was the one who pushed him outside his comfort zone. She had done this from the time they were babies. She pushed him beyond the boundaries of their crib when he was afraid to venture into the unknown. She was the one who made him learn to walk when he was perfectly content getting around via crawling. She was the one of pushed him to socialize and let him make at least a few friends of his own. And it was her that helped him find the greatness that he was able to uncover that magical summer.

Dipper was trying to remember if he ever thanked her for that.

Dipper desperately wanted to get back to her. He spotted his father staring intently at the newly planted grave marker.

Fourteen years: that's how much time was between the date of birth and the date of death, just fourteen years.

Stan thought it was incredibly unjust. In the past few years, he has had to watch people who were far better people than he could ever be get buried into the ground. His nephew, his niece-in-law, and now, his daughter's beloved friend.

And the next person he buried could very well be the best person he has ever known.

Stan was overcome with a wave of self-loathing. They hit him less frequently now than they did before he had his wonderful family, but when they hit, they hit hard.

He didn't deserve a long life. He should have died on some park bench with a cigar in one hand and a bottle of liquor in the other hand. He had conned and schemed his way to a long life. He had fought to try to make that life a happy life, had made so many mistakes, made so many good memories, become more than he ever dreamed he could be. He had a family better than he possibly deserved and got to live out dreams he didn't know that he had.

But some people didn't get the time that he did. Some people made all the right decisions and did everything they were supposed to, and still met cruel fates. It was all so unfair.

He looked to find Dipper had joined him, silently and stoically standing by his side. Stan had made so many mistakes with the boy: he was hard on him, made fun of him, and lied to him. Dipper had plenty of reasons to resent him, and yet here he was, standing beside him as his son.

There was no way Stan could have earned the privilege of being his father if he lived a thousand years.

The boy was sniffling and holding back tears. Stan knew the poor kid had been holding them in all day, and who knows how many times throughout this hell had he held them in for the sake of his family.

Maybe the reason he had been given such a long life here on earth was that he had so many lessons to learn. He had wrongs to right and wounds to heal (both self-inflicted wounds and wounds he inflicted to others). His time on earth hadn't ended because he still had things to do.

He knelt by the boy's side and gave him a gentle look that communicated it was all right to cry. Dipper hesitated at first, but Stan gently pulled him into a tight embrace as Dipper sobbed into his shoulder. "It's alright, bud. Let it out."

At that moment the heavens busted wide open and the rain was pouring from the sky like a busted dam.

Stan and Dipper hardly noticed, they had both forgone holding their umbrellas and had instead opted to just hold each other instead.

The rain made a loud and constant sound, as if to provide the two men a protection to wail and scream and shout and get out the sounds of grief. The grief of death, the grief of life, and the grief of the unknown.

Stan removed his suit jacket so Dipper could have some extra warmth and protection from the rain as he picked up his umbrella and pulled Dipper close enough that they could both feel the comfort of the shelter.

Maybe the reason he was alive when so many others had died was to protect this boy and his sister.

He just hoped cancer wouldn't take his purpose away.


	21. Worst Nightmare

Ford couldn't sleep. He knew Mabel was in a bad place, and unless she got out of it, she wouldn't survive.

He spent the night reading every book, journal, and research paper on cancer he could find. He flipped desperately through the pages of work, and with each passing moment, he became more and more distressed. He didn't know what he was expecting to find. He had grilled Mabel's doctors about every aspect of Mabel's illness and impending operation. Did he think he was going to find some obscure cure-all that would save his daughter's life?

He had always been the "smart guy." His family _needed_ his mind, _needed_ his science, and _needed_ answers − answers Ford didn't have. All his knowledge was useless to Mabel.

 _He_ was useless to Mabel.

He slammed his fist on the table. "There must be some way I can help her! I'll do anything! Anything!"

" _Anything?"_ A mocking, high-pitched voice echoed through the room.

Ford shot up. That voice…that was impossible. He couldn't be alive…

But to his horror, his triangular foe materialized from the ground. Ford hadn't thought of Bill Cipher in what felt like years, but the pain that triangle had caused him and those he loved was enough to seal eternal hatred in Ford's eyes.

"Well, well, well! Long time no see, brainiac! Sorry to hear Shooting Star's feeling a little under the weather."

To illustrate his point, he snapped his fingers and conjured up a rain cloud that drenched the scientist in a downpour.

Ford's hands shook as he tried to locate his gun. "I WON'T LET YOU TERRORIZE MY FAMILY AGAIN!"

"But I already am! Shooting Star named the cancer after me, remember?" Bill joked. "But the cancer is much closer to killing her than I ever was!"

"SHUT UP!" Ford fired his gun at Bill, but the demon simply disappeared. The only thing damaged was the wall.

Bill reappeared with Mabel's adoption certificate in his hands. "So, I hear you're a daddy now. How sweet!"

"GIVE THAT BACK!" Ford tried to take their family's most prized possession back from him, but Bill played keep-away by floating it out of Ford's reach. "GIVE THAT BACK TO ME, BILL!"

"Fine, Sixer. Lighten up!" Bill lazily tossed the certificate back to Ford, who caught and cradled it with care. "That thing's not gonna matter anyway when Shooting Star dies."

"SHE'S NOT GONNA DIE!"

"Didn't they say the same thing about that Mikey kid? Guess you could say Shooting Star...loved him to death!" Bill taunted.

Ford charged at the triangle intending to do like Stan and settle this with his fists, but Bill just disappeared only to reappear behind him and continue his mocking.

"Besides, I took a little peek into the future, and uh…yeah, she is."

"YOU'RE LYING! YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" Ford's voice cracked wildly.

"I know _everything,_ remember? Including the fact that at this point, she basically _wants_ to die!"

"LEAVE US ALONE!" Ford screamed.

"Just a minute, Brainiac. What if I told you I can save her?"

"I'd say you're full of shit," Ford said through gritted teeth.

"Well, I can. Just say the word, and I'll solve all her problems! No strings attached!"

"Why would you want to save her and not get anything in return?"

"Let's just say…saving her will have its own reward."

"You think I'm stupid enough to fall for your tricks? I'm not putting my daughter's life in your hands!"

"So, you're just gonna leave it in the other Bill's hands then?"

Ford's breath hitched.

"You're gonna let the cancer kill her when you could have had the chance to save her?"

Ford watched in horror as Bill conjured up what looked like a tiny portal. In it was the image of a tiny coffin covered in yellow roses…Mabel's favorite.

"No…no…" Ford turned away and put his hands over his ears trying to block out the demon's words. "Please…no…"

"Last chance, Sixer!" Bill extended his hand to Ford. "You wanna save Shooting Star or not?"

Ford knew better than to trust Bill, but he was so terrified of losing Mabel. He meant it when he said he would do anything to help her.

Anything.

Trembling, he hesitantly shook Bill's hand.

Suddenly, he was transported to the hospital. Instead of finding Mabel laying sick in bed as she had been for months, she came bounding out of the double doors. Her hair was grown back, she was smiling her beautiful smile, and she looked as though she had never been ill.

"Daddy! Daddy, I'm all better!" she said as she leaped into his arms.

"Oh, Mabel…oh, baby, I'm so glad you're better. I love you so much," Ford whispered through his tears of relief.

Stan entered behind her and the three of them shared a joyful group hug.

Suddenly Ford was hit with a realization. "Where's Dipper?"

With a big grin on her face, Mabel pointed to a door that said: "MORGUE."

"Impossible…" Ford whispered in terror. He dashed into the room and saw a body lying on the gurney. It was Dipper…his son…his little boy.

"Dipper…Dipper…son!" Ford approached the gurney and desperately shook the boy's body. "Dipper! Dipper! Wake up, son! It's me! It's…it's Daddy…"

Dipper didn't move, and his body was ice cold. He was long gone.

Bill's laugh pierced the room as he appeared floating above Dipper's body.

"WHAT DID YOU DO, BILL? WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SON?" Ford shouted as he cradled the boy in his arms as if he could still protect him.

"Don't you get it, Poindexter? I made it so Shooting Star never got cancer, and the only way to make that reality happen was to make sure she still had both kidneys, and…well, you know the only way to do that," Bill said, gesturing towards Dipper.

"No…no! This isn't what I wanted! Give me my son! I want my son back!" Ford demanded.

"And you want your daughter to be sick again? You can't have it both ways, buddy!"

"Please, Daddy," Mabel said as she suddenly appeared in front of Ford, not seeming to care that her brother's dead body laid between them. "Don't make me sick again."

"Mabel, I…" Ford was at a loss for words. "Your brother…"

"I knew it," Mabel said sadly. "I knew you loved him more."

"Mabel, no, that's not true! It's not true!"

"Make your choice, Sixer!"

"I can't…I can't choose…I love them both." Why did he have to choose? Why was this impossible decision up to him?

"Both, huh? Suit yourself!"

Bill snapped his fingers and Mabel skin turned pale and hair fell out before she collapsed on the floor, dead.

"NO! MABEL!"

"Well, I guess no one can say you played favorites!" Bill mocked.

"NO! NO!"

—

Ford awoke with a start. He had sweat all over his books in his sleep and it took him several moments to regain his surroundings. When he did, there was only one thought dominating his mind: where was his son?

He dashed upstairs to his children's room. He had to make sure what he saw wasn't real, that Bill was dead, that Dipper and Mabel weren't…

When he opened the door, he relieved to find his son sleeping on the floor of the bedroom with his laptop open.

Ford clutched his hand over his heart as he slid down the wall trying to get his panicked breathing under control.

 _It was just a dream. Bill's gone. Dipper's alive. Mabel was alive…at least for the moment._

Once Ford's heart stopped pounding against his chest, he went over and knelt by Dipper's side. Upon glancing at the laptop's screen, he noticed that Dipper had been up researching kidney donations – specifically if recipients were able to return the donated organ.

Ford knew Dipper would give Mabel's kidney back to her in a heartbeat, even at the cost of his own life.

Ford could never be the man and sibling that Dipper already is.

He tenderly picked up his son to put him to bed. He tucked him in before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. He didn't want to leave Dipper, but he also didn't want to risk waking the boy by crawling into bed beside him. They would be heading back to the hospital in a few short hours to try to help Mabel the best they could, Dipper needed rest before that.

He decided to sit on his daughter's bed − the bed he feared she may never sleep on again. He took one of her stuffed animals and hugged it tightly, trying to have some part of her near him.

Waddles walked up to the side of her bed and tried to climb up. Ford took pity on the poor creature and lifted him up.

"I'm afraid I'm not the one you wanted to see, Waddles."

To his surprise, Waddles tenderly nuzzled Ford and settled on his lap. Ford smiled sadly. He knew pigs were smart animals, but he still found it amazing that Waddles seemed to have a gift for cheering up those who needed comfort.

Just like his beloved master.

Ford found it therapeutic to stroke the pig. Having Waddles here made it feel like a little part of Mabel was with him, and for the moment, it gave him some peace.


	22. Bearing It

When Mikey died, it was like a part of Mabel died with him. Her eyes were blank and empty. She wouldn't do anything but stare straight ahead into nothingness. They couldn't get more than a few words out of her. She barely ate, and she already had trouble keeping food down before.

Whenever her family asked if they could get her anything, she always gave the same heartbreaking response:

" _I want Mikey."_

The worst of it was her chemo treatments. Before Mikey died, it had been Mabel's favorite part of the day, despite the physical pain. She and Mikey had shared so many laughs, secrets, and happy memories sitting beside each other.

Now, going to chemo was not only physically painful and draining, but emotionally taxing. Every day she would go to her chair and stare at the empty one, as if still in doubt about the finality of death. Whenever the double doors would open Mabel would always glance in that direction, hoping for a miracle, hoping for her friend, and each time she was left disappointed.

The grief made every part of chemo a thousand times worse. Her symptoms became more apparent and her overall spirit was destroyed.

Stan, Ford, and Dipper contemplated various schemes and ideas to make Mabel smile. There was nothing they wouldn't do to raise her out of her grief. They also knew that Mabel had suffered a deep personal loss, but even considering that, the mission to get her to smile didn't seem too insurmountable. It was rare to ever see Mabel without a smile.

Dipper decided to go first. He had to swallow his pride, but he felt like he had the perfect solution.

" _Who wants a lamby lamby lamby? I do! I do! So go up and greet your mammy mammy mammy! Hi there! Hi there! So march march march around the daisies, but don't don't don't you forget about the baby!"_ He did the full song and dance routine in his old costume, carrying the sweet memories of his mother's laugh in his heart the whole time.

Mabel looked at him with a mix of heartbreak and contempt. She knew he was trying his best to make her happy, like he always had, but she was offended that he thought a stupid lamb costume could make this whole mess better.

"C'mon, sis, give me a smile…just try," he pleaded.

"Try? I've been trying for months! Mikey tried for months, and he still died! He took the stupid medicine and did the stupid surgery and he's dead!"

"Mabel, I know that but…I can't go through what Mitch is going through. I can't lose you."

Hearing this only broke Mabel deeper. She no longer believed that there was a secret to whether people with cancer live or die; it just randomly happened. Her anger continued to build as the lethal medication pumped in her body, and she had to release it. Unfortunately, the lightning rod for her fury is her dear brother in the lamb costume.

"You know, I wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you."

Dipper winced, like he had been stabbed directly in the heart.

"Mabel, I−"

"I wish I never gave you my kidney." Mabel didn't mean that, not for a moment. She wanted Dipper to get mad at her, yell at her, hurt her the way she hurt him.

But all he mustered was a quiet, _"Me too."_

Stan went next. He tried every corny joke he knew, every embarrassing story from his and Ford's childhoods − anything that had ever made her happy in the past.

"My ex-wife misses me…but her aim is getting−"

"STOP IT!" Mabel couldn't stand one more of Stan's joke. "THIS ISN'T FUNNY!"

"Mabel, honey, I know it's not. I just want you to feel better."

"You're trying to make me forget about him just to feel better! You don't even care that Mikey's dead!"

"Of course I care, honey. I hate seeing my daughter hurting so much."

This only made Mabel angrier, he didn't care about Mikey or the fact that he was dead, he only cared about _her._

This enraged her.

"I'M NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!"

It was like all the air was sucked out of the room. Stan felt like he had been kicked in the gut.

"MY _REAL_ DAD IS DEAD! JUST LIKE MY MOM AND MIKEY AND…AND I WISH I WAS WITH THEM INSTEAD OF YOU!"

Once again, the combination of the chemo's negative effect on her brain and her pure grief made her lash out and say something she didn't mean.

Stan took a step back. No words could have ever stung him that bad. He had to leave. Stan didn't want to turn his back on her when he knew she needed him, but he couldn't bear to be in the same room with her another second, lest she see how much her words hurt him.

When he got outside the room, he leaned his forehead against the wall as tears slipped down his face. He knew she didn't mean it; he knew she loved him but hearing her say those words still burned him to his core. It reminded him of the night he yelled at her and drove her to suicide. It only stung more when he realized that the pain he was feeling was similar to the pain Mabel felt when he told her he didn't want her anymore.

Finally, it was Ford's turn. He had zero confidence going in. If _Dipper_ and _Stan_ couldn't cheer Mabel up, what chance did he have? Still, he had to try.

He sat in awkward silence trying to think of what to say to her.

Mabel couldn't stand him silently staring at her. "Would you just go away?"

Ford wanted to at that point. He couldn't face this. He couldn't face these hateful things coming out of his beloved daughter's mouth. He saw Dipper's and Stan's reactions to what Mabel told them. He couldn't believe the Mabel he knew would say such things.

 _It's the chemo,_ he told himself. _It affects the mind. It's not her…not really._

He was terrified that Mabel could do to him what she did to Stan and Dipper. It made him want to run. But he promised to never turn his back on his family again, and he'll keep that promise. No matter what, he had to help Mabel.

Ford spotted something poking out of Mabel's bag. It was her stuffed animal, Bear-O. The thing was creepy, and he didn't want to look at it, let alone touch it. But he had an idea that might make her laugh.

He grabbed the doll and said, "Look, Mabel, it is I, Bear-O! Your beloved stuffed Ursidae."

Mabel raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"Sorry, I meant bear," Ford blushed after using the scientific name.

Mabel looked like she wanted to smile more than anything in the whole world, but she just couldn't force herself to.

"Mabel…baby…I know how hard this is, but…you have to keep fighting. Please, baby girl…please keep fighting for me."

Mabel wanted to lash out at him to, say something to hurt him, to make him leave her alone. But even that seemed like too much energy anymore.

"I'm so tired of fighting," Mabel finally said quietly as a few tears slipped down her face. "I don't wanna fight anymore."

Ford flashed back to the night Mabel had almost ended it all. By the time he and Dipper had arrived, she was safe and sound in Stan's arms, but to this day Ford could still remember the way his heart had raced as he dashed across the snowy ice trying desperately to reach her in time. If Stan hadn't gone ahead of him, Mabel would have succeeded, and Ford would have found her icy cold body in the snow. Ford hadn't talked about it or how it affected him much, but the impact was a profound one that still occasionally gave Ford nightmares.

Even though she had been in such a dark place she had risen above it. She had been through so much more trauma that any child…heck, any adult should bear. But she kept fighting. She fought with love, smiles, and sweaters.

Ford thought his years in the portal made him a fighter, but my God, he had never met anyone as strong as she was. She was the one who still believed Stan's memories could be saved when he had already given up. She was the one that gave him hope.

He didn't see any of that strength in her now. She looked like she didn't even care if she died…no, worse, she looked like she _wanted_ to die.

And at this rate, she might.

Ford broke down into hysterical sobs. It shocked Mabel. She had seen Ford cry. Ford was always such a dignified man, so even when he did cry, it was always calm and restrained. This time, however, he was wailing like a child.

It was like Mabel was snapped out of a trance, not unlike the night Stan stopped her attempted suicide. Ford's sadness was like a window into the future of the grief her loved ones will suffer if she doesn't make it. She knew that her words hurt her family but seeing Ford sob allowed her to glimpse into their pain.

She knew what grief felt like − _by God_ , she knew. As if losing her parents hadn't been bad enough, she lost one of the best friends she ever had. It made her want to let her body wither away until she felt no more pain.

But she couldn't do that. She couldn't pass the pain on to the people she loved.

She took Bear-O from Ford's arms and said in her best comedic voice, "C'mon, Daddy, I can't _bear_ to see you cry."

Ford looked up at her. She was finally smiling. It was a tiny smile, but a genuine smile. It was a smile that was breaking through so much pain but was still willing to brighten the lives of other people, which made it the most beautiful smile in the world.

He wiped his eyes and said, "I'm sorry for crying, sweetheart." Ford took Bear-O back from her. Even though his voice was still shaky, he mustered up the best silly voice he could. "I'm so…em- _bear_ -rassed!"

Mabel gave a hearty laugh as Ford took her into his arms. He smiled and laughed right along with her because knew he had his little fighter back.


	23. Last Goodbyes

The surgery was only a few hours away. The Pines family wanted to remain hopeful, but Mikey's death was a cruel reminder of how this could all go wrong. None of them wanted to leave anything unsaid. They took turns to have a one-on-one conversation with Mabel, so they could say whatever needed to be said…even goodbye.

Dipper went first. He had kept his promise to remain right by his sister's side through this nightmare. He had been a model brother like he had always been, and even though Mabel knew the answer because she knew her brother, there was something she still had to ask.

"Will you forgive me for all the awful things I said to you? About wishing I never gave you my kidney? I didn't mean it."

"Of course I forgive you, Mabel. You saved my life. You're my hero…you'll _always_ be my hero."

"You're my hero too, bro-bro."

"I would give anything if I could give your kidney back to you."

"I know you would. But you know what? Even if I knew all this craziness would happen, I would still have given you my kidney."

Dipper wrapped his arms around his sister. The two of them stayed in an embrace for a long time. It wasn't an awkward sibling hug; it was a genuine loving embrace.

Ford went next. As close as he had grown to his daughter over the years, he was still overcome with shame for not having the right words to speak.

Luckily for him, Mabel had an opening question planned.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Mabel asked as she fiddled with her thumbs.

Ford couldn't help but smile. Mabel's secrets were often reserved for Dipper or Stan. He was honored Mabel held him in a high enough regard to trust him with one, so he gladly nodded.

"I…I'm scared Bill will win today," Mabel said as tears filled her eyes.

Ford's smile dropped, and his heart sank. He was afraid of that too, but he didn't want to let Mabel know that.

But it wasn't fair to ignore the question either.

"It's alright to be afraid, Mabel. We all are."

Mabel didn't want to say the next part of her planned conversation, but she felt she _had_ to. She didn't think Stan or Dipper could handle this part, so she wanted to tell Ford.

"But if he does…win today, that is, you know that my favorite flowers are yellow roses, right?"

Ford's blood turned ice cold. Was she really doing what he thought she was doing?

"My favorite outfit is my shooting star sweater and purple skirt combo."

"Mabel…no…" Were the only words Ford could whisper.

Mabel looked at him with both sadness and a pleading pair of eyes. There was no part of her that wanted to be planning for this, but it had to be done.

As much as Ford didn't want to have this conversation, as much as it was killing him, he knew that he had to hear her out. After spending so long being ignored by him, Mabel deserved to be heard at the very least.

"Please don't cremate me. I-I don't want to burn again," she whimpered as tears fell from her eyes.

Ford was sobbing not only because this conversation made him miserable, but because it reminded him of how much Mabel had suffered in her short life.

"Can you donate my organs? So I can help who are sick like Dipper was?"

Ford couldn't take it. Even in death, she wanted to help others.

"Bury me by my parents, but make sure that there's a spot for you and Dipper and Grunkle Stan, so one day, we can all be together."

Ford broke down sobbing as he embraced the greatest gift he almost missed out on. Mabel wasn't afraid of his sobs anymore, just like she wasn't afraid of Ford anymore. He was every bit the daddy Stan was, it just took him a little longer to get there.

He kissed her forehead and held her close. For one of the few times in his life, he wasn't focused on the past or the future. He was treasuring every moment with his amazing daughter.

Finally, it was Stan's turn. Time before the surgery was running out.

As he came into the room, Mabel said, "Grunkle Stan…I just want to say again I'm so sorry for−"

Stan stopped her, already knowing what she was going to say. "Mabel, sweetie, I already told you I forgive you. I know you didn't mean it. You were sick. It messed up your mind."

"I know, but−"

"No buts. Stop worrying about me. Just worry about _you_ right now."

Mabel smiled. "I hope you know I love you, and you'll always be my daddy."

Stan gave a watery smile as he cupped her cheek. "And you'll always be my daughter."

Aware that this could possibly be his last conversation with her, he wanted her to understand how much she meant to him.

"Mabel, sweetie, I just want you to know…" Stan's voice cracked. "You're the best friend I ever had."

"What about Grunkle Ford?"

Stan smiled. "I wouldn't even have Ford if it weren't for you."

The two simply remained locked in each other's arms for a long time before Mabel broke the silence with words she didn't want to speak, but she learned the cruel lesson from Mikey's death about leaving things unsaid. "Will you forgive me?"

Stan was genuinely confused as to what his daughter was talking about. "Forgive what, baby?"

"If I can't keep my promise to you?' she said as she buried herself into his chest, clearly terrified of the implications.

That's when it hit Stan: the promise she made after her suicide attempt. She promised him she would never leave him. She was asking him to forgive her if she dies.

He couldn't lose his little girl. She was his _happiness._ The thought of living without her made him want to crawl into a hole and die.

He wanted to break down but forced himself to be strong. His daughter didn't need to be concerned for him now. She only needed to focus on making it through this surgery.

He gently lifted her chin, so he was looking into those beautiful brown eyes. "You don't have to worry about that, baby. You did keep your promise."

"I did?"

"Yes, you did. No matter how hard it was or how much it hurt, you never gave up. You fought so hard. I'm proud of you…no matter what happens."

At that moment, Ford knocked on the door and entered the room. "Mabel, sweetheart, before you go in for surgery, there are some people who want to say hello."

"Some people" turned out to be pretty much the entire town as they piled into the tiny hospital room.

"Wow…you guys are all here!"

"Yeah, dude. I brought someone else to see you too!" Soos pulled up his shirt to reveal he had snuck in Mabel's pet pig.

"Waddles!" Mabel opened her arms and hugged Waddles as Soos laid him in her lap. "Oh, Waddles, I missed you so much!"

Waddles oinked in excitement after not seeing his master for so long. He didn't care that she lost her hair or was paler than when he lost saw her. He recognized his mommy right away. She rubbed his tummy in the place she knew exactly where he liked.

"We just came by to say you're going to do great today," Wendy said with forced confidence as she rubbed the knit hat on Mabel's head affectionately.

"Punch cancer in its stupid face!" said Grenda.

"And then we will all celebrate with you when you do!" Candy promised.

"She's gonna do better than punch cancer! She's gonna pulverize it!" Manly Dan said as he swung his ax a little too close to the other town members. He wanted Mabel to win the fight against the terrible disease that took his wife.

Mabel laughed despite it all. She had grown to love everyone in this community like family, and she wanted more than anything to return to them. "I'll do my best, I promise."

Wendy appeared to be shaking. Tambry put her arm around her. She knew Wendy's past with this disease and understood she needed the extra support.

The whole town gave her proud smiles, but they all had a secret fear that her best may not be enough.

Suddenly, a voice emerged from behind the crowd, "Excuse me! Pardon me! Out of my way! I'm the girl's aunt!"

"Graunty Janice?" Mabel said, surprised. Janice had sent her many letters and gifts but hasn't come to see her in person since she first learned Mabel was sick.

Janice emerged from the crowd. There were bags under her eyes; she hasn't been sleeping well. Her normally styled hair was in a messy bun, and she didn't have a bit of make-up on. If not for her grand entrance, Mabel might not have even believed it was her.

"Hello, Mabel, dear."

"Graunty Janice, I'm so glad you came," Mabel said softly as Janice hugged her.

"I just wanted to wish you luck in person. I…I'm sorry I didn't visit more often."

Mabel looked at her great-aunt sympathetically. She didn't hold any anger towards Janice. She knew Janice loved her and just couldn't handle seeing her sick. "It's okay, Graunty Janice. I'm just really glad you came to see me."

Janice gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I love you so much, Mabel."

"I love you too."

Janice cried as she hugged Mabel tighter. No one has told Janice they loved her since Mabel's mother was alive. Even after all the times she failed her niece, she still loved her. Janice hoped there will still be a chance to make it up to her.

Looking into Mabel's eyes, Janice saw that faint twinkle that reminded everyone of her mother. Janice was remorseful that she didn't visit Mabel more often than for no other reason than to look into the eyes that served as a mirror to her departed niece.

"She would be so proud of you," Janice whispered, hoping Mabel would understand.

'She would be proud of you too," Mabel assured.

The nurse came in to tell everyone it was time to prep Mabel for surgery. Soos slowly lifted the pig from Mabel's arms and everyone gave her one last lingering glance and smiles of reassurance.

It chilled Mabel to watch them go knowing she may never see any of them again.

Dipper and Ford gave her one last hug and reminded her how much they loved her while Stan was getting decked out in his mask and gloves so he could carry Mabel in.

When he picked her up, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck like she would never let go.

Stan held her closer than he ever had, painfully aware this could be the last time he held his daughter. Mabel must have had the same realization because she held on tighter too.

"Remember, baby, I love you more than anything," Stan whispered.

"I love you to infinity," Mabel managed in a shaking voice with a small smile.

"I love you infinity and a half."

When they arrived at the OR, Stan slowly laid her down and took her hand as they prepared to administer the anesthesia. Looking around the OR and realizing this was similar to the last thing Mikey ever saw sent panic through her body and she attempted to sit up.

It was the hardest thing Stan had ever done, but he tenderly held his daughter down so they could give her the medicine. He could feel her shaking and it sent shivers down his spine to realize how self-aware Mabel was of the severity of what was about to happen.

"Look at me, baby. Keep your eyes on me, okay?" Stan said as they put the needle in her arm.

She kept her eyes on her daddy but still felt the pinch of the needle going into her arm. She felt less like a patient and more like a condemned prisoner being put to death by lethal injection.

Tears formed in Stan's eyes as he realized this could be Mabel's final memory of him. She deserved some auditory comfort to soothe her into the unknown.

"Daddy's got you baby girl. It's alright. Daddy's got you. Daddy's here," Stan assured over and over again. If there was a chance these would be the last words Mabel ever heard, they deserved to be loving and reassuring.

Mabel was scared to close her eyes but couldn't fight anymore as the anesthesia overtook her and her trembling body turned limp.


	24. Prayer

"Daddy's here, Mabel, right here," Stan assured in a shaking voice as he continued holding her down...even though he knew she could no longer move, even if she wanted to.

Stan knew that he had to leave, but his legs were paralyzed with fear.

He could feel tears spilling over and despite all the doctors, surgeons, and nurses in the room he was heading straight for a total meltdown. It was hitting him like a ton of bricks that Mabel may very well never wake up, what kind of father would he be if that realization didn't horrify him?

One of the surgeons approached and gently put his hand on Stan's shoulder. He didn't bother telling Stan not to worry. Nothing he could say will stop the father from worrying about his baby. "My team and I are going to do all we can for her."

Before being led away Stan knelt down one last time and whispered an eternal truth, hoping that Mabel could by some miracle comprehend it through the anesthesia.

"I love you so much baby girl...so much," Stan's voice cracked as one of his tears landed on his daughter's cheek.

One of the nurses wiped her eyes at the father's love before she calmly led Stan out of the room so they could work.

Stan knew he needed to get back to Ford and Dipper, but each step away from the OR felt heavier than the last. He wanted to believe after all that Mabel had overcome, this operation would be a piece of cake for someone as strong as her but knowing there was a chance she wouldn't come out of this surgery alive was enough to make Stan's world feel so dark and lonely.

When he reached the door leading out to the waiting room he ran his hand down his face to wipe the last of his tears. He knew Ford and Dipper would understand if he needed to cry and break down, but he wanted to be strong for the two of them. He knew that's what Mabel would want.

He entered the waiting room to find his poor, scared, but strong son with Waddles on his lap as Soos and Wendy sat on opposite sides of him.

He approached them and cleared his throat authoritatively like he was preparing to give a boss speech. Wendy and Soos looked up at him expectantly.

"I just wanna…thank you both. You've really stepped up and helped out these past few months, taking care of the shack and all. It's meant a lot to all of us, and for the record, I'm glad I never fired either of you."

"Wow, that's like, the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Stan," Wendy kidded, desperately trying to maintain her sense of cool, despite the horrible memories this experience had forced her to relive.

Stan gave her an affectionate pat on the shoulder. He knew what Wendy had been through, but he also knew Wendy as a person well enough to know that she didn't want any attention brought to the subject.

"You know, Soos made a pretty good replacement boss," Wendy said affectionately jabbing him in the side. "But we're both eager to have all four of you home so you can yell at us again."

Stan gave her a watery smile as he turned his attention to Soos. "Good job running the place, Soos. You know, since neither Dipper or Mabel want to run the shack when they…grow up…" Stan sent up a silent prayer that both his wonderful kids would, in fact, grow up. "Maybe one day you can run it full-time…son."

Soos embraced his boss and the man whom he saw as a father tight. Stan reciprocated, surprised at how good the hug felt. It was almost as good as one from his Mabel.

"Speaking of the shack, we better get the pig back there before he leaves the hospital an unwanted gift." Wendy lifted the pig from Dipper's arms and gave the boy a smile. "Promise you'll keep me updated, okay? I'm only a call or text away."

The boy gave a solemn nod.

Dipper had a slight peace of mind knowing he had such a wonderful friend in Wendy. This experience had been hell, but it had brought them closer together. Not to mention, gave Mabel plenty to squeal about. He just hoped Mabel would get to continue squealing as she watched their relationship continue to grow.

When Soos and Wendy left, Stan took a seat by his son's side and placed a strong hand on his back. That's when he finally noticed someone missing. "Where's Ford? He alright?"

Dipper motioned towards the prayer closet. The cross on the door was lit up, indicating it was currently in use.

Ford was not religious in the slightest. He wasn't quite as cynical towards faith as Stan was, but a scientific mind never blended well with having a blind belief in something he couldn't see.

Mabel was his antithesis in that regard. She could put her trust in things even when she had no reason to. She could love someone even when they weren't worthy to be loved. Ford had experienced the power of that love first-hand. Despite his years studying all things paranormal, her love of him was without a doubt the most magical thing he had ever or would ever experience.

That's why he so desperately needed Mabel. He had so much to learn from her. The scientist in him may have doubted the legitimacy of the power of prayer, but the father in him will try _anything_ that could help his daughter.

 _If this is God I'm talking to, then I want you to know I am genuinely pissed at the amount of suffering you've put my children through. They haven't deserved any of it. If anyone in this family deserves bad fortune, it's me, because I haven't had any bad fortune, at least not to the level I deserve._

Ford had to pause and take a watery, deep breath. Not a great way to start a prayer. But he truly was angry at God, and if God was truly omnipotent, He already knew that anyway. Still, Ford wanted to be as conciliatory as possible to the being who could be deciding his daughter's fate.

 _I've been so "blessed" as you call it. Being a dad is the best thing to ever happen to me. If you take that away from me…I'll have nothing to live for. Please…if you are up there, please know there isn't a price I wouldn't pay for my children to be safe. If you must stop my heart to keep hers beating, don't hesitate, just please…she's just a child…she's my child._

Ford rose from his knees and wiped his eyes. He had no idea if his words had any impact, but it at the very least given him the temporary sensation of control, a sensation that he had missed throughout this hell.

When he exited the closet, he was surprised to see Stan waiting outside the door.

Stan gave a small smile. "You know we're Jews, right?" He joked, pointing to the cross.

"Says the man who wore a Groucho Marx man to his bar mitzvah."

Stan shrugged. "Didn't say we were good Jews."

At that moment Stan and Ford noticed Dipper pacing back and forth, just like they did the last time the kids had been in surgery. The boy had clearly inherited their nervous ticks, and the fathers knew they had to be there for him now.

"Dipper, why don't you sit down and relax?" Stan offered.

"How can I relax when my sister might be dying in there?" Dipper snapped back as his mind tortured him with the worst-case scenario.

"Dipper…it's going to be alright," Ford tried to assure.

"Nothing's been alright for months! Mabel has _Cancer_ , and it's all because of _ME!"_

Stan and Ford looked at each other sadly. It had been a long time since Dipper had said it aloud, but both of them knew that he still harbored all this undeserved guilt. The worst part was that they knew no matter what they said, that Dipper would continue feeling this way until Mabel recovered…if she recovered at all.

"Dipper, son, listen to me." Ford knelt in front of Dipper and cupped his face. "It was not your fault that this happened. It is not your fault that you got sick, and it's not Mabel's fault she decided to donate. She was fully aware of the risk-" Ford's voice caught as the weight of Mabel's sacrifice sank in to him.

"She didn't know she would get cancer, she couldn't have known," Dipper choked out.

"No, you're right, none of us could have known," Ford relented as he acknowledged he and Stan's responsibility in this nightmare.

Dipper paced the floor a few more times before his eyes caught Ford's and caused Dipper to finally cave, "I don't want my sister to die!"

Stan and Ford didn't have an appropriate response, considering that was their biggest fear too. All the family of three could do was comfort each other throughout the seemingly endless day, until they could all be together again.

When Mabel's surgeon finally exited the OR, Dipper yanked himself out his fathers' arms and ran over to hound the doctor. "Where's my sister? What have you done to my sister?"

The doctor knelt and looked the boy in the eyes, Dipper could see the sparkle in his eyes even before he smiled. "We successfully removed the tumor."

Dipper smiled as more tears streamed down his face. "She's okay…she's okay! Dads, did you hear that? Mabel's okay!"

"We heard, buddy," Stan said in a choked-up voice as he smiled at his son.

"Take me to my sister! I want to see my sister!" Dipper demanded.

"You can come back here and see her for just a moment, but then, I think it would be best if you went home and got some rest."

All three of them had heavy bags over their eyes, symbolizing an understandable lack of sleep. He was especially concerned for the poor young boy who never really looked well rested anyway.

"Why are you making me leave my sister when she needs me!" Dipper snapped angrily.

"Mabel needs you to get some rest, champ." Stan handed the boy his cellphone. "Why don't you give Wendy a call and let her know Mabel made it through alright? I'm sure she's been wondering all day," Stan gave a playful wink. "Ask her to come pick you up and then you can head back with Ford and me to see her real quick."

Dipper sighed, he knew there was no point in arguing with Stan. Besides, as he much as he hated to admit it, he really was too weary to argue. He just wanted to see his sister.

When he was finished talking with Wendy, the surgeon lead the three of them into the room where Mabel was.

When they entered Mabel's room, her face looked pale and tired, not unlike how it looked after the kidney donation. She looked peaceful though, almost cute in how very delicate she appeared.

Stan and Ford sat down and each took a hand while Dipper placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Her brother's touch made Mabel stir as she cracked open her eyes.

"Hey, there's my little fighter," Stan said playfully.

"Welcome back, dear," Ford choked out through tears of relief.

"I love you so much, Mabel," Dipper whispered.

Mabel's eyes were full of sleep and pain, but she attempted to vocalize a greeting.

"D….D…" she could have been trying to say Dipper or dads, but she just couldn't make the words.

Dipper was a little uneasy on how out of it she was. When she had gotten her kidney removed she was more coherent than this. Dipper could only attribute it to the fact that when she woke up from that surgery, she didn't know whether or not he was safe. When it came to the needs of each other, Dipper and Mabel could be downright superhuman.

At that moment a nurse entered and informed them that Wendy was in the lobby waiting for Dipper.

Dipper hesitated, but as he looked at his adoptive fathers, he trusted that Mabel was in good hands. "You'll keep me updated, right?"

"I promise, son," Stan said with both his hands fully visible so Dipper would know he wasn't crossing them. With that, he slowly turned to leave the fathers with their daughter.

Poor Mabel looked desperate for the sweet release of sleep. Stan and Ford weren't concerned though. After how hard she's fought, she deserves all the rest she needs.

"It's alright, baby, get some rest. We're right here," Ford assured as he cupped her face in his six-fingered hand.

With that, Mabel finally succumbed to rest leaning into her father's hand.


End file.
